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

13 Ranked Colleges
224 Degrees Awarded
$24,300 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor's in Illinois For Those Getting Aid

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking - to help you make that decision.

International Relations & National Security is the 65th most popular major in the country with 14,762 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. 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 Illinois, there were 373 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,500 and $26,096 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 224 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,319 and $24,183 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid” ranking analyzed 13 colleges that offered a degree in international relations and national security. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent international relations and national security programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the international relations and national security program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank International Relations & National Security Schools

The international relations school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid”.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

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

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

Top 13 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security in Illinois (With Aid)

#1

Saint Xavier University

Chicago, Illinois
#10 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Saint Xavier University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. This small school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

SXU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend SXU is $14,528 for illinois bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

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

#2

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid. Northwestern is a private not-for-profit institution located in Evanston, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 37 bachelors’s degrees 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 Illinois” ranking. It costs about $24,664 for illinois bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend Northwestern.

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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Northwestern University International Relations & National Security Report

#3

Dominican University

River Forest, Illinois
#8 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Dominican University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. Dominican U is located in River Forest, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Dominican U not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Dominican University is $19,268 for illinois 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.

Full Dominican University International Relations & National Security Report

#4

Wheaton College Illinois

Wheaton, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wheaton College Illinois. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Wheaton, Illinois, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, Wheaton College Illinois has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Wheaton College Illinois is $25,358 for illinois bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%. 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.

Full Wheaton College Illinois International Relations & National Security Report

#5

Knox College

Galesburg, Illinois

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Knox College landed the #5 spot on the list. This small school is located in Galesburg, Illinois, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Knox also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #7. The yearly cost to attend Knox College is $22,292 for illinois bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%. 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.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Knox

#6

McKendree University

Lebanon, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

McKendree University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. McKendree University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Lebanon, Illinois. The school has a small population, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

McKendree also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $19,844 for illinois bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend McKendree.

Full McKendree International Relations & National Security Report

#7

Bradley University

Peoria, Illinois
#6 in overall quality

Bradley University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Bradley University is located in Peoria, Illinois and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Bradley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. The yearly cost to attend Bradley University is $25,634 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

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 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%.

Full Bradley University International Relations & National Security Report

#8

Lake Forest College

Lake Forest, Illinois

Lake Forest College landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Lake Forest is a small school located in Lake Forest, Illinois that handed out 11 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, Lake Forest has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Lake Forest College is $26,426 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

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 more about International Relations & National Security at Lake Forest College

#9

University of Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

UChicago also took the #2 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UChicago is $27,315 for illinois bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

The low student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at UChicago

#10

Roosevelt University

Chicago, Illinois
#12 in overall quality

Roosevelt University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Roosevelt also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $22,749 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend Roosevelt.

Full Roosevelt International Relations & National Security Report

#11

Rockford University

Rockford, Illinois
#13 in overall quality

Rockford University landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Rockford University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Rockford, Illinois. It awarded 1 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Rockford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” list. It costs about $22,197 for illinois bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend Rockford.

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 Rockford

#12

DePaul University

Chicago, Illinois

DePaul University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #12. DePaul University is located in Chicago, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 27 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our illinois bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, DePaul has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $30,090 for illinois bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend DePaul University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at DePaul University

#13

Loyola University Chicago

Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University Chicago landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in Illinois For Those Getting Aid ranking. Chicago, Illinois is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 68 students in 2019-2020.

Loyola Chicago also took the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Illinois” ranking. It costs about $35,407 for Illinois Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend Loyola Chicago.

The low student loan default rate of 3.4% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Loyola Chicago

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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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