2023 Best Value Colleges for International Relations & National Security in California (With Aid)
19
Ranked Colleges
1,387
Degrees Awarded
$24,000
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
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 California, there were 1,387 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,402 and $17,860 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 19 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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.
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.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college 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 when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid.
Top 19 Best Value Colleges for International Relations & National Security in California (With Aid)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid 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.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $12,894 for California International Relations students with aid.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 0.5%, 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 86%.
Full Stanford International Relations & National Security Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Davis. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid. University of California - Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 151 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Davis also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $15,768 for california 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 undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at University of California - Davis
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - San Diego is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 108 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california international relations students with aid list, UCSD has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,240 for California International Relations students with aid per year to attend University of California - San Diego.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of California - San Diego International Relations & National Security Report
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Riverside landed the #4 spot on the list. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 85 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
UCR also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $11,822 for California International Relations students with aid per year to attend UCR.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at University of California - Riverside
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Claremont McKenna College landed the #5 spot on the list. Claremont McKenna College is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california international relations students with aid list, Claremont McKenna has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Claremont McKenna College is $21,993 for california international relations students with aid.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. 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%. 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
San Diego State University landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Diego State University is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 99 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
SDSU also took the #11 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $13,845 for california international relations students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at San Diego State University
With a ranking of #7, Pomona College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
Pomona also took the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Pomona is $17,949 for California International Relations students with aid.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Pomona
California State University - San Bernardino ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. CSUSB is a public institution located in San Bernardino, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california international relations students with aid list, CSUSB has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - San Bernardino is $8,107 for california international relations students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at CSUSB
With a ranking of #9, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 73 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
SFSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for San Francisco State University is $14,459 for California 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%.
Full SFSU International Relations & National Security Report
California State University - Chico landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.
Chico State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $16,218 for california 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 California State University - Chico
University of Southern California landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California 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 not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. It costs about $32,569 for california international relations students with aid per year to attend University of Southern California.
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 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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%.
Full University of Southern California International Relations & National Security Report
Occidental College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 31 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Oxy not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Occidental College is $34,032 for California International Relations students with aid.
The low undergrad 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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Occidental College
With a ranking of #13, University of Redlands did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of Redlands is located in Redlands, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
University of Redlands did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #16 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Redlands is $26,098 for California 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%.
Full University of Redlands International Relations & National Security Report
Azusa Pacific University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in California 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.
Azusa Pacific did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Azusa Pacific is $30,744 for California International Relations students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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 full report on International Relations & National Security at Azusa Pacific
University of La Verne came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of La Verne is a private not-for-profit institution located in La Verne, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at ULV, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $28,260 for california international relations students with aid per year to attend ULV.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% 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%.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at ULV
University of San Diego came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of San Diego is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 46 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california international relations students with aid list, USD has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of San Diego is $34,139 for California International Relations students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Diego
With a ranking of #17, University of San Francisco did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. San Francisco, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 47 students in 2020-2021.
USFCA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend University of San Francisco is $40,053 for California 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%.
Full University of San Francisco International Relations & National Security Report
With a ranking of #18, Loyola Marymount University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 51 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
Loyola Marymount not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Marymount is $44,467 for California International Relations students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Loyola Marymount University
Saint Mary’s College of California came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Moraga, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california international relations students with aid list, SMC has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Mary’s College of California is $37,232 for california international relations students with aid.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at SMC
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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
- *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.
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