2026 Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in Tennessee
[International Relations & National Security](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong international relations & national security education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 12 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 Tennessee
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 Middle Tennessee State University the best value for a degree in international relations & national security in Tennessee. Located in the city of Murfreesboro, Middle Tennessee State University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,266, compared with $31,574 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for international relations & national security graduates is $22,754. Soon after graduation, international relations & national security degree recipients from Middle Tennessee State University generally make around $43,575. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 69%.
Students looking for strong value in international relations & national security will find it at University Of Memphis, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Memphis, University Of Memphis is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,728, while out-of-state students pay about $15,384. Typical student debt for international relations & national security graduates is $26,315. Soon after graduation, international relations & national security degree recipients from University Of Memphis generally make around $48,890. Set against $26,315 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in international relations & national security will find it at Rhodes College, which ranked #3. Rhodes College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Memphis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $57,110. Typical student debt for international relations & national security graduates is $22,072. Soon after graduation, international relations & national security degree recipients from Rhodes College generally make around $23,835. That is a strong return on a $22,072 median debt. The acceptance rate is 50%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 12 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.
