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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security in California (With Aid)

20 Ranked Colleges
933 Degrees Awarded
$23,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 14,762 people earned their degree in international relations and national security, making the major the 65th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, international relations and national security graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $38,051 and had an average of $28,099 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 1,659 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,623 and $23,466 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 933 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 20 colleges that offer a degree in international relations and national security. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great international relations and national security programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the international relations and national security program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid.

Top 20 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security in California (With Aid)

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Stanford also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $11,496 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Stanford University International Relations & National Security Report

#2

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, California
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Claremont McKenna College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, Claremont McKenna has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $22,161 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend Claremont McKenna College.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Claremont McKenna College

#19 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Bakersfield. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Bakersfield, California, this fairly large public school handed out 1 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

CSUB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Bakersfield is $5,318 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at California State University - Bakersfield

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Riverside. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 79 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, UCR has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $12,871 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at UCR

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #5 spot on the list. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 169 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, UC Davis has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $14,669 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UC Davis International Relations & National Security Report

#6

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. SDSU is located in San Diego, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 80 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

SDSU also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $14,788 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend San Diego State University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at San Diego State University

#7

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. San Francisco State University is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 77 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, SFSU has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SFSU is $15,113 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at SFSU

#8

Pomona College

Claremont, California
#3 in overall quality

Pomona College came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 24 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Pomona, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pomona is $17,458 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Pomona College International Relations & National Security Report

California State University - Chico ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Chico, California, this fairly large public school awarded 33 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Chico State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Chico is $15,017 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at California State University - Chico

#10

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 194 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

USC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $29,528 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend USC.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 1.2% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of Southern California International Relations & National Security Report

#11

University of Redlands

Redlands, California
#15 in overall quality

University of Redlands ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Redlands, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

University of Redlands not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $27,958 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend University of Redlands.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of Redlands International Relations & National Security Report

#12

Mills College

Oakland, California
#18 in overall quality

Mills College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Mills is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Oakland, California. It awarded 4 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, Mills has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $22,202 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend Mills.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Mills International Relations & National Security Report

#13

University of the Pacific

Stockton, California
#12 in overall quality

University of the Pacific landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Pacific is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Stockton, California. It awarded 14 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Pacific also took the #12 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $28,929 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend Pacific.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at University of the Pacific

#14

California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, California
#20 in overall quality

California Lutheran University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. CLU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Thousand Oaks, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

CLU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CLU is $26,489 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at CLU

#15

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, California
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Azusa Pacific University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Azusa, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, Azusa Pacific has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Azusa Pacific is $26,293 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Azusa Pacific University

#16

University of San Diego

San Diego, California

University of San Diego landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 39 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

USD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $32,460 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend University of San Diego.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at USD

#17

Occidental College

Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #17, Occidental College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Oxy is a small school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 39 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Oxy did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $29,638 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend Oxy.

The low student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Oxy

#11 in overall quality

Saint Mary’s College of California came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Saint Mary’s College of California is located in Moraga, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

SMC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Mary’s College of California is $34,392 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Saint Mary’s College of California

#19

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#8 in overall quality

Loyola Marymount University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Loyola Marymount is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Loyola Marymount also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Marymount University is $42,861 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Loyola Marymount

#20

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California

University of San Francisco did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #20. Located in San Francisco, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 57 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, USFCA has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $36,424 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend University of San Francisco.

The low student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of San Francisco

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to RepubFan12.

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