by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 17 schools in the Great Lakes Region to determine which ones were the best for international relations & national security students pursuing a bachelor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 810 bachelor's degrees in international relations & national security to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology
The international relations bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality international relations program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
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 ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for international relations & national security students working on their bachelor's degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region list, to help you choose the best school for 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.
The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in international relations & national security.
Any student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in international relations & national security has to look into University of Chicago. Located in the large city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from University of Chicago
It's hard to beat Northwestern University if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in international relations & national security. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Evanston.
Those international relations & national security students who get their bachelor's degree from Northwestern University make $20,724 more than the typical international relations graduate.
More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Northwestern University
Michigan State University is a good option for individuals interested in a bachelor's degree in international relations & national security. Located in the city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a very large student population.
After graduation, international relations bachelor's recipients generally make around $38,810 in their early careers.
More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Michigan State University
Ohio State University - Main Campus is a good choice for individuals interested in a bachelor's degree in international relations & national security. Ohio State is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Columbus.
Bachelor's students who receive their degree from the international relations program earn an average of $38,584 in their early career salary.
More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Ohio State University - Main Campus
IU Bloomington is a very large public university located in the city of Bloomington.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the international relations program state that they receive average early career wages of $36,100.
More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Indiana University - Bloomington
Located in the large city of Milwaukee, Marquette is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.
Bachelor's recipients from the international relations & national security major at Marquette University earn $5,688 above the average college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Marquette University
Miami University - Oxford is a large public university located in the fringe town of Oxford.
Soon after graduating, international relations bachelor's recipients usually earn an average of $38,766 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Miami University - Oxford
Located in the large city of Chicago, DePaul is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.
Soon after graduating, international relations bachelor's recipients usually earn an average of $35,792 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from DePaul University
Central Michigan is a fairly large public university located in the distant town of Mount Pleasant.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the international relations program report average early career wages of $35,802.
More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Central Michigan University
Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Wheaton.
Bachelor's recipients from the international relations & national security major at Wheaton College Illinois earn $2,482 more than the average college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Wheaton College IllinoisExplore the best international relations & national security schools for a specific state in the Great Lakes Region .
One of 13 majors within the Social Sciences area of study, International Relations & National Security has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| International Relations | 764 |
| Other International Relations & National Security Studies | 36 |
| International Security | 10 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Economics | 5,259 |
| Political Science & Government | 5,015 |
| Sociology | 2,344 |
| Anthropology | 971 |
| Geography & Cartography | 487 |
| General Social Sciences | 420 |
| Sociology & Anthropology | 93 |
| Other Social Sciences | 93 |
| Urban Studies | 78 |
| Archeology | 66 |
