2025 Best International Studies Master's Degree Schools
a master's degree in
international studies is more popular than many other degrees. In fact, it ranks #125 out of 343 on popularity of all such degrees in the nation. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.
In 2025, College Factual analyzed 14 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best International Studies Master's Degree Schools ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 938 master's degrees in international studies to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
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Featured International Studies Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Choosing a Great International Studies School for Your Master's Degree
The international studies master's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
Quality Overall Is Important
A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
Average Earnings
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their master's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their master's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
Other Factors We Consider
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
- Major Focus - How many resources a school devotes to international studies students as compared to other majors.
- Major Demand - The number of international studies students who choose to seek a master's degree at the school.
- Educational Resources - The amount of money and other resources allocated to students while they are pursuing their degree. These resources include such things as number of students per instructor and education expenditures per student.
- Student Debt - How easy is it for international studies to pay back their student loans after receiving their master's degree.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized international studies related body.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for international studies students working on their master's degree.
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 Best International Studies Master's Degree Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
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Featured International Studies Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study International Studies in the United States
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in international studies.
10 Top Schools for a Master's in International Studies
Any student pursuing a degree in a master's degree in international studies needs to look into University of Pennsylvania. Located in the city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.
Those international studies students who get their master's degree from University of Pennsylvania make $139,614 more than the standard international studies grad.
More information about a master’s in international studies from University of Pennsylvania
University of Notre Dame is a wonderful option for students pursuing a master's degree in international studies. Located in the large suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in international studies from University of Notre Dame
It's hard to beat University of Oklahoma Norman Campus if you want to pursue a master's degree in international studies. Located in the midsize suburb of Norman, University of Oklahoma is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Those international studies students who get their master's degree from University of Oklahoma Norman Campus receive $16,974 more than the standard international studies grad.
More information about a master’s in international studies from University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
Any student who is interested in a master's degree in international studies has to take a look at American Public University System. Located in the town of Charles Town, American Military University is a private for-profit university with a fairly large student population.
International Studies master's degree recipients from American Public University System receive an earnings boost of approximately $19,213 above the typical earnings of international studies graduates.
More information about a master’s in international studies from American Public University System
USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles.
Master's graduates who receive their degree from the international studies program earn around $58,871 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a master’s in international studies from University of Southern California
