Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

International Relations & National Security

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

43 Ranked Colleges
1,120 Degrees Awarded
$18,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor's in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.

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 the Great Lakes region, there were 1,340 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,821 and $24,013 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,120 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,075 and $25,381 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 43 colleges that offer a degree in international relations and national security. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality international relations and national security programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the international relations and national security program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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 the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid

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

Top 25 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security in the Great Lakes Region (With Aid)

#1

Indiana University - Bloomington

Bloomington, Indiana

Out of the 43 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Indiana University - Bloomington landed the #1 spot on the list. This large school is located in Bloomington, Indiana, and it awarded 100 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

IU Bloomington also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #8. It costs about $13,253 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend Indiana University - Bloomington.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at IU Bloomington

#2

Michigan State University

East Lansing, Michigan

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Michigan State University. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school handed out 116 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Michigan State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Michigan State University is $19,173 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, 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 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Michigan State International Relations & National Security Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. IUPUI is located in Indianapolis, Indiana and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

IUPUI not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Indiana University - Purdue University - Indianapolis is $11,285 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

Full IUPUI International Relations & National Security Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Columbus, Ohio, this large public school awarded 178 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Ohio State also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #6. The yearly cost to attend Ohio State is $17,616 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Ohio State University - Main Campus

#5

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Xavier University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid. SXU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Chicago, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend SXU is $14,528 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Saint Xavier University

#6

University of Southern Indiana

Evansville, Indiana
#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, University of Southern Indiana did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. USI is a public institution located in Evansville, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

USI also took the #25 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $13,437 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend USI.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full USI International Relations & National Security Report

#7

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, Michigan

With a ranking of #7, Grand Valley State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. GVSU is a large public school situated in Allendale, Michigan. It awarded 35 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

GVSU also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend GVSU is $17,646 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Grand Valley State University International Relations & National Security Report

#8

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

Northwestern University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 37 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $24,664 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend Northwestern University.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Northwestern University

#9

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Central Michigan University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Central Michigan is a fairly large public school situated in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It awarded 25 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Central Michigan is $15,981 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

Full Central Michigan International Relations & National Security Report

#10

Oakland University

Rochester Hills, Michigan

Oakland University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. Oakland is a public institution located in Rochester Hills, Michigan. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Oakland is $11,802 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Oakland

#11

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#19 in overall quality

Dominican University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Dominican U is a small private not-for-profit school situated in River Forest, Illinois. It awarded 5 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, Dominican U has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. It costs about $19,268 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend Dominican U.

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 Dominican U

With a ranking of #12, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Oxford, Ohio, and it awarded 121 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Miami University - Oxford also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Miami University - Oxford is $24,323 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Miami University - Oxford

#13

Northern Michigan University

Marquette, Michigan

Northern Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. Northern Michigan University is located in Marquette, Michigan and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

It costs about $15,453 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend Northern Michigan University.

Full Northern Michigan University International Relations & National Security Report

With a ranking of #14, Kent State University at Kent did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Kent State is a large public school situated in Kent, Ohio. It awarded 17 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Kent State, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Kent State University at Kent is $18,885 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

Full Kent State University at Kent International Relations & National Security Report

#15

Aquinas College Michigan

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Aquinas College Michigan did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Grand Rapids, Michigan is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Aquinas College Michigan is $18,549 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Aquinas College Michigan

#16

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #16. Eastern Michigan is a fairly large school located in Ypsilanti, Michigan that handed out 17 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Eastern Michigan is $15,924 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Eastern Michigan

#17

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

Wheaton College Illinois did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Wheaton College Illinois is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wheaton, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Wheaton College Illinois not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $25,358 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 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 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 Wheaton College Illinois

#18

Cleveland State University

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Cleveland State University is a fairly large public school situated in Cleveland, Ohio. It awarded 16 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Cleveland State University is $17,278 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Cleveland State University

#19

Walsh University

North Canton, Ohio

Walsh University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Walsh is a small private not-for-profit school situated in North Canton, Ohio. It awarded 2 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend Walsh is $16,075 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Walsh

#20

University of Toledo

Toledo, Ohio

University of Toledo came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of Toledo is a fairly large public school situated in Toledo, Ohio. It awarded 3 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

The yearly cost to attend University of Toledo is $17,630 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at University of Toledo

#16 in overall quality

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is a large school located in Cincinnati, Ohio that handed out 38 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

UC also took the #16 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Cincinnati - Main Campus is $21,843 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Full UC International Relations & National Security Report

#22

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

Knox College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Galesburg, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 7 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Knox also took the #15 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Knox College is $22,292 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Knox College

#23

Muskingum University

New Concord, Ohio

Muskingum University came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. New Concord, Ohio is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 1 students in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Muskingum University is $20,157 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Muskingum University

#24

Shawnee State University

Portsmouth, Ohio

Shawnee State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid list. Shawnee State University is a public institution located in Portsmouth, Ohio. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

The estimated yearly cost for Shawnee State University is $16,320 for great lakes region bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

Full Shawnee State University International Relations & National Security Report

#25

Wittenberg University

Springfield, Ohio

Wittenberg University landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Great Lakes Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Wittenberg is located in Springfield, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

The yearly cost to attend Wittenberg University is $22,886 for Great Lakes Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Wittenberg

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Featured Political and Social Sciences Schools

Find Schools Near You