2026 Best International Relations & National Security Schools in North Carolina
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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools to find the best for international relations & national security students.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for International Relations & National Security in North Carolina
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
Leading the list is Duke University, our #1 school for international relations & national security. Located in the city of Durham, Duke University is a large private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 97%. About 66 international relations & national security degrees were awarded at Duke University in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, international relations & national security degree recipients from Duke University generally make around $71,278. Typical student debt for the program is $13,296.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from Duke University
East Carolina University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best international relations & national security schools. Set in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public institution. About 63% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 14 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at East Carolina University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the international relations & national security program make about $51,931 in their early career. East Carolina University graduates carry a median of $24,747 in student loans.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from East Carolina University
North Carolina State University At Raleigh came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best international relations & national security schools. This very large public university is located in the city of Raleigh. About 85% of students finish within six years. About 25 international relations & national security degrees were awarded at North Carolina State University At Raleigh in the most recent year. Students who receive their international relations & national security degree from North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn around $51,555 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $22,113.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from North Carolina State University At Raleigh
More International Relations & National Security Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 11 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.
