2026 Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in District of Columbia
[International Relations & National Security](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value international relations & national security schools.
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2026 Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in District of Columbia
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in international relations & national security, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools
George Washington University tops our 2026 list of the best value international relations & national security schools in District of Columbia. George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,710. International Relations & National Security graduates carry a median of $22,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, international relations & national security degree recipients from George Washington University generally make around $61,820. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 47% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in international relations & national security will find it at Georgetown University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,089. Students borrow a median of $17,500 to complete the international relations & national security program here. Early-career international relations & national security graduates make about $69,394. Set against $17,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Georgetown University admits about 13% of applicants.
American University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value international relations & national security schools. Located in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $58,771 in tuition and fees. International Relations & National Security graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Early-career international relations & national security graduates make about $58,712. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 62%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
