by our College Data Analytics Team
[International Relations National Security](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The highest-paying schools turn a international relations national security degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the early-career earnings of their international relations national security graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send international relations national security graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Leading the list is Webster University, our #1 for international relations national security graduate salaries in the The Plains States Region. Webster University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Students who complete the international relations national security program here go on to a median salary of roughly $65,402.
Students chasing top earnings in international relations national security will find them at Saint Cloud State University, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Saint Cloud, Saint Cloud State University is a public institution. Early-career international relations national security graduates from Saint Cloud State University make a median of around $53,960 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Saint Louis University Main Campus earned it the #3 place for international relations national security. Set in the city of Saint Louis, Saint Louis University Main Campus is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career international relations national security graduates from Saint Louis University Main Campus make a median of around $49,510 per year.
University Of Iowa came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying international relations national security schools. University Of Iowa is a public school located in the city of Iowa City. Students who complete the international relations national security program here go on to a median salary of roughly $68,946.
University Of Minnesota Twin Cities came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying international relations national security schools. Located in the city of Minneapolis, University Of Minnesota Twin Cities is a public institution. International Relations National Security graduates of University Of Minnesota Twin Cities earn a median of about $55,760 a year early in their careers.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their international relations national security graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.