2027 Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in Kentucky

[International Relations & National Security](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for international relations & national security students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in Kentucky
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
Our analysis ranked Northern Kentucky University the best value for a degree in international relations & national security in Kentucky. Located in the suburb of Highland Heights, Northern Kentucky University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,088, with out-of-state students paying around $21,912. International Relations & National Security graduates carry a median of $25,572 in student loans. Early-career international relations & national security graduates make about $21,915. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Kentucky is a great value for students pursuing a degree in international relations & national security, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Lexington, University Of Kentucky is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,502, while out-of-state students pay about $34,140. Typical student debt for international relations & national security graduates is $24,094. Early-career international relations & national security graduates make about $47,514. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Kentucky admits about 93% of applicants.
More International Relations & National Security Rankings
View All International Relations & National Security Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.