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2023 Best Value Colleges for International Relations & National Security in the Far Western US Region (With Aid)

28 Ranked Colleges
1,575 Degrees Awarded
$22,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 14,306 people earned their degree in international relations and national security, making the major the 67th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, international relations and national security graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $41,288 and had an average of $21,455 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Far Western US region, there were 1,575 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,306 and $18,706 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 28 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.

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. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for far western us region international relations students with aid.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for International Relations & National Security in the Far Western US Region (With Aid)

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 66 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Stanford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $12,894 for far western us region international relations students with aid.

The undergraduate 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Stanford University

2

Out of the 28 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #2 spot on the list. UW Seattle is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our far western us region international relations students with aid list, UW Seattle has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Washington - Seattle Campus is $12,017 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, 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 93%.

Full UW Seattle International Relations & National Security Report

3

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Davis. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid. University of California - Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 151 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $15,768 for far western us region international relations students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at UC Davis

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - San Diego. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid. UCSD is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 108 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

UCSD also took the #6 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - San Diego is $15,240 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at UCSD

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Riverside. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school handed out 85 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $11,822 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid per year to attend University of California - Riverside.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, 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 undergraduate students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at UCR

6
Claremont McKenna crest
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

Claremont McKenna College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Claremont McKenna College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 24 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Claremont McKenna also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Claremont McKenna College is $21,993 for far western us region international relations students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Claremont McKenna

7
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

With a ranking of #7, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid list. SDSU is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 99 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $13,845 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at San Diego State University

8
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, California

Pomona College landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region 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 ’s international relations degrees to 9 students in 2020-2021.

Pomona also took the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pomona College is $17,949 for far western us region international relations students with aid.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Pomona College

9

California State University - San Bernardino did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #9. California State University - San Bernardino is a fairly large school located in San Bernardino, California that handed out 7 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend CSUSB is $8,107 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at CSUSB

10
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #10. SFSU is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 73 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

SFSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. It costs about $14,459 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid per year to attend San Francisco State University.

The undergrad 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 SFSU

11

University of Nevada - Reno did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. UNR is located in Reno, Nevada and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 49 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

UNR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Nevada - Reno is $14,930 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

The undergrad 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 University of Nevada - Reno

12

Portland State University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Portland, Oregon, this large public school awarded 13 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

It costs about $12,498 for far western us region international relations students with aid per year to attend Portland State University.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Portland State University

13

California State University - Chico landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. California State University - Chico is located in Chico, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Chico State also took the #24 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Chico is $16,218 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 Chico State

14

Eastern Washington University landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Eastern Washington University is located in Cheney, Washington and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

The estimated yearly cost for EWU is $12,335 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Eastern Washington University

15
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 190 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

USC also took the #2 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. It costs about $32,569 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid per year to attend University of Southern California.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at USC

16
Whitworth crest
Whitworth University
Spokane, Washington

Whitworth University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid list. Whitworth University is located in Spokane, Washington and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Whitworth also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #21. The yearly cost to attend Whitworth University is $24,492 for far western us region international relations students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Whitworth

17

Linfield University - McMinnville Campus ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid list. McMinnville, Oregon is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 7 students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our far western us region international relations students with aid list, Linfield has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Linfield University - McMinnville Campus is $27,671 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 Linfield International Relations & National Security Report

18
Oxy crest
Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

Occidental College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid list. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 31 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Oxy also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for Oxy is $34,032 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Oxy

19
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California

With a ranking of #19, University of Redlands did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Redlands, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Redlands, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Redlands is $26,098 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

20
Azusa Pacific crest
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

With a ranking of #20, Azusa Pacific University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid list. Azusa Pacific University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Azusa, California. It awarded 4 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $30,744 for far western us region international relations students with aid per year to attend Azusa Pacific.

The low undergrad 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%. The impressive undergraduate 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 Azusa Pacific

21
Gonzaga crest
Gonzaga University
Spokane, Washington

Gonzaga University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #21. This medium-sized school is located in Spokane, Washington, and it awarded 19 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Gonzaga also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $34,451 for far western us region international relations students with aid per year to attend Gonzaga University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Gonzaga University International Relations & National Security Report

22
Lewis and Clark College crest
Lewis & Clark College
Portland, Oregon

Lewis & Clark College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Portland, Oregon, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 32 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

Lewis and Clark College also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for Lewis and Clark College is $36,638 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Lewis and Clark College

23
ULV crest
University of La Verne
La Verne, California

University of La Verne did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #23. Located in La Verne, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend ULV is $28,260 for Far Western US Region International Relations students with aid.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at ULV

24
USD crest
University of San Diego
San Diego, California

University of San Diego came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 46 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

USD also took the #16 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for USD is $34,139 for far western us region international relations students with aid.

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

Read more about International Relations & National Security at USD

25
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

University of San Francisco did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in the Far Western US Region For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #25. USFCA is located in San Francisco, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 47 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

USFCA also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Far Western US Region” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $40,053 for far western us region international relations students with aid per year to attend University of San Francisco.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 University of San Francisco

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