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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Studies

352 Ranked Colleges
5,491 Degrees Awarded
$30,329 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on International Studies Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major” ranking.

In 2021-2022, 6,614 people earned their degree in international studies, making the major the 100th most popular in the United States. In , international studies graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $34,413 and had an average of $23,173 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,491 international studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,724 and $23,030 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major” ranking looked at 352 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in international studies. That schools that top this list have a program in international studies in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank International Studies Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More International Studies Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The international studies school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree international studies students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Studies

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University Maritime Academy. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major. Vallejo, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international studies degrees to 21 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal Maritime International Studies Report

2
Principia crest
Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

Out of the 352 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Principia College landed the #2 spot on the list. This small school is located in Elsah, Illinois, and it awarded 3 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on International Studies at Principia

3
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Centre College
Danville, Kentucky

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Centre College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Centre College is a small school located in Danville, Kentucky that handed out 23 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 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.

Full Centre College International Studies Report

4
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United States Air Force Academy
USAF Academy, Colorado

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend United States Air Force Academy. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. United States Air Force Academy is a small public school situated in USAF Academy, Colorado. It awarded 55 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 93%.

Full United States Air Force Academy International Studies Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Sewanee - The University of the South. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Located in Sewanee, Tennessee, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 23 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Sewanee - The University of the South International Studies Report

6

University of California - San Diego did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking, coming in at #6. UCSD is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 537 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Studies at UCSD

7
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Macalester College
Saint Paul, Minnesota

Macalester College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking, coming in at #7. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international studies degrees to 38 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Macalester International Studies Report

8
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Spelman College
Atlanta, Georgia

Spelman College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 22 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2021-2022.

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 2.1% 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%.

Read more about International Studies at Spelman College

9
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Warren Wilson College
Swannanoa, North Carolina

Warren Wilson College ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Warren Wilson is a small school located in Swannanoa, North Carolina that handed out 1 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Warren Wilson

10
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Colby College
Waterville, Maine

Colby College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Waterville, Maine, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 42 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. 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.

Full Colby College International Studies Report

11
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Marymount Manhattan College
New York, New York

With a ranking of #11, Marymount Manhattan College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Located in New York, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 8 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full MMC International Studies Report

12
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Kenyon College
Gambier, Ohio

With a ranking of #12, Kenyon College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Kenyon College is located in Gambier, Ohio and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 21 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Read more about International Studies at Kenyon College

13
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Covenant College
Lookout Mountain, Georgia

With a ranking of #13, Covenant College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Covenant is a small school located in Lookout Mountain, Georgia that handed out 4 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Covenant International Studies Report

14

University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. University of California - Santa Barbara is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 188 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, 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 Studies at UCSB

15
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College of the Holy Cross
Worcester, Massachusetts

College of the Holy Cross came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. College of the Holy Cross is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 32 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, 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 96%.

Read more about International Studies at College of the Holy Cross

16
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St Lawrence University
Canton, New York

St Lawrence University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking, coming in at #16. Located in Canton, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2021-2022.

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 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Studies at St. Lawrence

17
Bethany College West Virginia crest
Bethany College West Virginia
Bethany, West Virginia

Bethany College West Virginia landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. Bethany College West Virginia is a small school located in Bethany, West Virginia that handed out 1 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 Studies at Bethany College West Virginia

18
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Brandeis University
Waltham, Massachusetts

Brandeis University ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major list. Brandeis is located in Waltham, Massachusetts and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 50 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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 0.6% 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%.

Read full report on International Studies at Brandeis

19
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John Brown University
Siloam Springs, Arkansas

John Brown University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. John Brown University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% 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 full report on International Studies at JBU

20

Saint Edward’s University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Austin, Texas, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 25 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% 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%.

Read more about International Studies at St. Edward’s University

21
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Multnomah University
Portland, Oregon

Multnomah University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. Multnomah University is a small school located in Portland, Oregon that handed out 2 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Studies at Multnomah University

22
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New College of Florida
Sarasota, Florida

New College of Florida came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. This small school is located in Sarasota, Florida, and it awarded 6 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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 New College of Florida International Studies Report

23
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Washington & Jefferson College
Washington, Pennsylvania

Washington & Jefferson College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. Washington & Jefferson College is located in Washington, Pennsylvania and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about International Studies at W&J

24
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Elon University
Elon, North Carolina

Elon University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking, coming in at #24. Elon University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Elon, North Carolina. It awarded 36 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Read more about International Studies at Elon

25

Hawaii Pacific University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major ranking. Honolulu, Hawaii is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international studies degrees to 14 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% 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 Studies at Hawaii Pacific University

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
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Albion College
Albion, MI
27
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Monmouth College
Monmouth, IL
28
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Hanover College
Hanover, IN
29
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Haverford College
Haverford, PA
30
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College of Charleston
Charleston, SC
31
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Providence College
Providence, RI
32
33
34
35
36
37
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Pitzer College
Claremont, CA
38
Boston College crest
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
39
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Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN
40
41
42
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Hope College
Holland, MI
43
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Gettysburg College
Gettysburg, PA
44
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University of Richmond
University of Richmond, VA
45
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University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
46
47
48
49
50

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Studies Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51University of Nebraska at OmahaOmaha, NE
52Gallaudet UniversityWashington, DC
53University of Michigan - Ann ArborAnn Arbor, MI

Notes and References

References

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