2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security
364
Ranked Colleges
9,158
Degrees Awarded
$35,987
Avg Salary
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 14,306 people earned their degree in international relations and national security, making the major the 67th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, international relations and national security graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $41,288 and had an average of $21,455 in loans still to pay off.
At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 9,158 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.
This year’s “Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 364 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in international relations and national security. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular international relations and national security programs in the United States.
See our ranking methodology to learn more.
One Size Does Not Fit All
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s
The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree international relations students.
Top 25 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security
Out of the 364 schools in the Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, George Washington University landed the #1 spot on the list. GWU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 563 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full George Washington University International Relations & National Security Report
Out of the 364 schools in the Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, American University landed the #2 spot on the list. The American University is a fairly large school located in Washington, District of Columbia that handed out 415 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at The American University
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Florida State University. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s. Florida State University is located in Tallahassee, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 317 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Florida State
Out of the 364 schools in the Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, Florida International University landed the #4 spot on the list. Florida International University is a large school located in Miami, Florida that handed out 302 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Florida International University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Georgetown University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s list. Georgetown is a private not-for-profit institution located in Washington, District of Columbia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 289 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Georgetown University
University of Georgia ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s list. This large school is located in Athens, Georgia, and it awarded 264 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Georgia International Relations & National Security Report
Boston University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Boston, Massachusetts, and it awarded 237 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at Boston University
University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of Virginia - Main Campus is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 203 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of Virginia
With a ranking of #9, George Mason University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s list. GMU is a large school located in Fairfax, Virginia that handed out 180 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at GMU
Ohio State University - Main Campus came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Columbus, Ohio, and it awarded 176 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Ohio State
With a ranking of #11, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 171 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at USC
With a ranking of #12, Tufts University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s list. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 160 students in 2020-2021.
Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Tufts University
Virginia Tech ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, this large public school handed out 156 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Virginia Tech International Relations & National Security Report
University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. UC Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 151 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of California - Davis
With a ranking of #15, Indiana University - Bloomington did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s list. Bloomington, Indiana is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 119 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at IU Bloomington
University of Denver did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #16. University of Denver is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Denver, Colorado. It awarded 113 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at DU
Michigan State University landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in East Lansing, Michigan, this large public school handed out 106 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Michigan State International Relations & National Security Report
With a ranking of #18, Johns Hopkins University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s list. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 104 students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at Johns Hopkins University
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #19. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large public school situated in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It awarded 99 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
With a ranking of #20, Syracuse University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s list. Syracuse is a private not-for-profit institution located in Syracuse, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 98 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Syracuse
Fordham University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. Fordham U is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bronx, New York. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 93 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Fordham University International Relations & National Security Report
Miami University - Oxford did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. Miami University - Oxford is a public institution located in Oxford, Ohio. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 91 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.
Full Miami University - Oxford International Relations & National Security Report
University of California - Riverside came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. University of California - Riverside is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 85 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of California - Riverside
With a ranking of #24, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s list. Embry-Riddle Prescott is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Prescott, Arizona. It awarded 82 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Embry-Riddle Prescott International Relations & National Security Report
James Madison University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Relations Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Harrisonburg, Virginia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 78 students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at JMU
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