2026 Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in Maryland
[International Relations & National Security](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for international relations & national security students.
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2026 Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in Maryland
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
Leading the list is University Of Maryland College Park, our #1 best value for international relations & national security in Maryland. Located in the suburb of College Park, University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,809, with out-of-state students paying around $41,186. Typical student debt for international relations & national security graduates is $20,836. Early-career international relations & national security graduates make about $57,901. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Maryland College Park admits about 45% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Towson University earned it the #2 place for international relations & national security. Towson University is a very large public school located in the city of Towson. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,728, with out-of-state students paying around $29,820. International Relations & National Security graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career international relations & national security graduates make about $39,208. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Towson University admits about 82% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in international relations & national security will find it at Johns Hopkins University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,730. International Relations & National Security graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. International Relations & National Security graduates of Johns Hopkins University earn a median of $60,277 early in their careers. Set against $12,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 6%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 11 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.
