2026 Best International Relations & National Security Schools in District of Columbia
International Relations & National Security degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for international relations & national security students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for International Relations & National Security in District of Columbia
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the international relations & national security degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in International Relations & National Security
Our analysis ranked Georgetown University the best school in the country for a degree in international relations & national security. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Georgetown University graduates 95% of students within six years. About 639 international relations & national security degrees were awarded at Georgetown University in the most recent year. Students who receive their international relations & national security degree from Georgetown University earn around $69,394 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $17,500 to complete this degree.
Get the full international relations & national security details for Georgetown University
George Washington University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in international relations & national security, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. George Washington University graduates 84% of students within six years. About 704 international relations & national security degrees were awarded at George Washington University in the most recent year. Graduates of the international relations & national security program make about $61,820 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete this degree.
Get the full international relations & national security details for George Washington University
American University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in international relations & national security, ranking #3. Set in the city of Washington, American University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 76% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 789 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at American University in the most recent data year. International Relations & National Security graduates of American University earn a median of $58,712 early in their careers. American University graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans.
Read more about the international relations & national security program at American University
More International Relations & National Security Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 6 schools evaluated.
- 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.
