Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

International Relations & National Security

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California

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

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 California” ranking - to help you make that decision.

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.

This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking analyzed 21 colleges that offered 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.

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

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 for a Bachelor’s in California” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. 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 California

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

Top 21 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security in California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Davis. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. 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.

UC Davis also took the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Davis is $14,669 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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

Out of the 21 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Chico landed the #2 spot on the list. Chico, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 33 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students list, Chico State has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,017 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend California State University - Chico.

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%.

Full Chico State International Relations & National Security Report

#3

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Francisco State University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. SFSU is a large public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 77 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU also took the #16 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Francisco State University is $15,113 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students.

Full SFSU International Relations & National Security Report

#4

San Diego State University

San Diego, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Diego State University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. SDSU is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 80 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $14,788 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national 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 SDSU

#19 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Bakersfield. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. This fairly large school is located in Bakersfield, California, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUB, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Bakersfield is $5,318 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at California State University - Bakersfield

University of California - Riverside landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Located in Riverside, California, this large public school handed out 79 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

UCR also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for UCR is $12,871 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

The low 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full University of California - Riverside International Relations & National Security Report

#7

Mills College

Oakland, California
#18 in overall quality

Mills College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #7. Mills College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Oakland, California. It awarded 4 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Mills also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #18. The estimated yearly cost for Mills is $22,202 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students.

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. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Mills International Relations & National Security Report

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey is located in Monterey, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Middlebury Institute not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 1 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 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Middlebury Institute International Relations & National Security Report

#9

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, California
#21 in overall quality

Azusa Pacific University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #9. Azusa Pacific is located in Azusa, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Azusa Pacific not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Azusa Pacific University is $26,293 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

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%. 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.

Full Azusa Pacific University International Relations & National Security Report

#10

California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, California
#20 in overall quality

California Lutheran University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #10. CLU is located in Thousand Oaks, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CLU, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $26,489 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend California Lutheran University.

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 more about International Relations & National Security at CLU

#11

University of the Pacific

Stockton, California
#12 in overall quality

University of the Pacific ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Located in Stockton, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students 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 per year to attend Pacific.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Pacific

#12

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#8 in overall quality

Loyola Marymount University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #12. Loyola Marymount is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 34 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Marymount also took the #8 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Marymount is $42,861 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

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 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Saint Mary’s College of California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Saint Mary’s College of California is a private not-for-profit institution located in Moraga, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SMC also took the #11 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SMC is $34,392 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students.

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%. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 Saint Mary’s College of California

#14

University of San Diego

San Diego, California

University of San Diego ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. This medium-sized school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

USD also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $32,460 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend University of San Diego.

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%.

Full University of San Diego International Relations & National Security Report

#15

University of Redlands

Redlands, California
#15 in overall quality

University of Redlands landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This small school is located in Redlands, California, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Redlands, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $27,958 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students 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%.

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

#16

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 ranking, coming in at #16. USFCA is located in San Francisco, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 57 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

USFCA also took the #9 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for USFCA is $36,424 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, 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 San Francisco

#17

Pomona College

Claremont, California
#3 in overall quality

Pomona College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #17. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 24 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Pomona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Pomona College is $17,458 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. 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.

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

#18

Stanford University

Stanford, California

Stanford University landed the #18 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 42 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $11,496 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Stanford

#19

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, California
#2 in overall quality

Claremont McKenna College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #19. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 21 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Claremont McKenna also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. The yearly cost to attend Claremont McKenna College is $22,161 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

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

#20

Occidental College

Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #20, Occidental College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Los Angeles, 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 39 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Oxy, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $29,638 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend Occidental College.

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 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Oxy International Relations & National Security Report

#21

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. University of Southern California is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 194 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

USC also took the #4 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $29,528 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students per year to attend University of Southern California.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The 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 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 full report on International Relations & National Security at University of Southern California

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