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2025 Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region

8 Colleges in the Plains States Region
418 International Studies Degrees Awarded
$39,900 Avg Early-Career Salary
International Studies is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #100 most popular degree program in the country. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 8 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 418 degrees in international studies to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great International Studies School

Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region The international studies program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for International Studies rankings. We derive our Best Overall International Studies School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your International Studies Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in International Studies
Master's Degrees in International Studies

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best International Studies Schools in the Plains States Region ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for International Studies in the Plains States Region

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the international studies degree levels they offer.

Top Plains States Region Schools in International Studies

1
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
52 International Studies Degrees Awarded
$38,854 Median Starting Salary

Every student who is interested in international studies has to check out Washington University in St Louis. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, WUSTL is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #21 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means WUSTL is a great university overall.

There were approximately 52 international studies students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the international studies program report average early career income of $38,854.

More information about a degree in international studies from Washington University in St Louis

2
KU crest
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
1st Most Popular In KS
56 International Studies Degrees Awarded

Any student who is interested in international studies needs to check out University of Kansas. KU is a fairly large public university located in the city of Lawrence. A Best Colleges rank of #192 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means KU is a great university overall.

There were roughly 56 international studies students who graduated with this degree at KU in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in international studies from University of Kansas

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Bachelors Degree Type
BS in Business Administration - International Business Program Name

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More information about a degree in BS in Business Administration - International Business from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

3
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$28,140 Median Starting Salary

Every student pursuing a degree in international studies needs to take a look at University of Iowa. Iowa is a fairly large public university located in the city of Iowa City. A Best Colleges rank of #80 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Iowa is a great university overall.

There were approximately 23 international studies students who graduated with this degree at Iowa in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the international studies program state that they receive average early career earnings of $28,140.

More information about a degree in international studies from University of Iowa

4
Macalester crest
Macalester College
Saint Paul, MN
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
38 International Studies Degrees Awarded
26.3% Growth in Graduates

Every student who is interested in international studies has to check out Macalester College. Macalester is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large city of Saint Paul. This college ranks 8th out of 52 schools for overall quality in the state of Minnesota.

There were about 38 international studies students who graduated with this degree at Macalester in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, international studies degree recipients usually earn around $21,176 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in international studies from Macalester College

5
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
2nd Most Popular In KS

K -State is a large public university located in the city of Manhattan. This university ranks 2nd out of 44 schools for overall quality in the state of Kansas.

There were roughly 26 international studies students who graduated with this degree at K -State in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in international studies from Kansas State University

6
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$36,926 Median Starting Salary

UNL is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Lincoln. A Best Colleges rank of #207 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UNL is a great university overall.

There were approximately 25 international studies students who graduated with this degree at UNL in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the international studies program earn about $36,926 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in international studies from University of Nebraska - Lincoln

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
31 International Studies Degrees Awarded
$33,798 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Omaha, UNOMAHA is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 7th out of 19 colleges for overall quality in the state of Nebraska.

There were about 31 international studies students who graduated with this degree at UNOMAHA in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, international studies degree recipients typically earn about $33,798 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in international studies from University of Nebraska at Omaha

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Masters Degree Type
MBA in International Business Program Name

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More information about a degree in MBA in International Business from Southern New Hampshire University

Related Programs

8
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$25,984 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri State University is a public university with a moderately-sized student population. This university ranks 23rd out of 48 schools for overall quality in the state of Missouri.

There were roughly 19 international studies students who graduated with this degree at Southeast Missouri State University in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, international studies degree recipients typically earn an average of $25,984 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in international studies from Southeast Missouri State University

Best International Studies Colleges by State

Explore the best international studies schools for a specific state in the Plains States Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Minnesota 284 79
Missouri 283 129
Kansas 266 88
Iowa 264 39
Nebraska 238 91
North Dakota 210 11
South Dakota 204 13

View All Rankings >

One of 51 majors within the Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies area of study, International Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.

International Studies Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
International/Globalization Studies 418

View All International Studies Focus Areas >

Majors Similar to International Studies

Related Major Annual Graduates
Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 2,037
Behavioral Science 564
Data Analytics 431
Nutrition Science 397
Data Science 326
Interdisciplinary Studies 312
Sustainability Science 189
Natural Sciences 164
Human Computer Interaction 163
Gerontology 158

View All International Studies Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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