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2026 Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in Iowa

[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.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for international relations & national security students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in Iowa

2026 Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in Iowa

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

1

University Of Iowa
Iowa City, IA

$11,283 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,030 Avg Student Debt

$64,762 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Iowa tops our 2026 list of the best value international relations & national security schools in Iowa. University Of Iowa is a very large public school located in the city of Iowa City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,283, while out-of-state students pay about $33,371. Typical student debt for international relations & national security graduates is $26,030. Early-career international relations & national security graduates make about $36,376. That is a strong return on a $26,030 median debt. The acceptance rate is 84%.

2

Drake University
Des Moines, IA

$51,960 In-State Tuition & Fees

$22,273 Avg Student Debt

$71,901 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in international relations & national security will find it at Drake University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Des Moines, Drake University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $51,960. Typical student debt for international relations & national security graduates is $22,273. International Relations & National Security graduates of Drake University earn a median of $56,228 early in their careers. Set against $22,273 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.

View All International Relations & National Security Rankings >

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 · 8 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.