2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k
19
Ranked Colleges
1,387
Degrees Awarded
$15,800
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.
In 2020-2021, 14,306 people earned their degree in international relations and national security, making the major the 67th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, international relations and national security graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $41,288 and had an average of $21,455 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 1,387 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,402 and $17,860 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 19 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in international relations and national security. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great international relations and national security programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the international relations and national security program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The international relations 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 “Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k”.
We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.
Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k
The colleges and universities below are the best for california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
Top 19 Best Value Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $0-$30k) in California
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 66 students in 2020-2021.
Stanford did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. It costs about $1,233 for California International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Stanford University.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Stanford
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Claremont McKenna College. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 24 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Claremont McKenna, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $5,387 for California International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Claremont McKenna College.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Claremont McKenna College
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pomona College. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Pomona is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 9 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Pomona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,629 for california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Pomona.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at Pomona
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Southern California landed the #4 spot on the list. University of Southern California is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 190 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k list, USC has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend USC is $17,287 for california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Southern California International Relations & National Security Report
Out of the 19 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #5 spot on the list. UC Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 151 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for UC Davis is $10,006 for california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of California - Davis
University of California - San Diego came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UCSD is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 108 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k list, UCSD has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,823 for California International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - San Diego.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of California - San Diego
San Diego State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school awarded 99 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SDSU, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $7,169 for California International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
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 2.2% 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 Relations & National Security at SDSU
University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. UCR is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 85 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCR, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $6,810 for california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at UCR
Occidental College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 31 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
Oxy also took the #8 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Oxy is $14,452 for California International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
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. 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 Occidental College International Relations & National Security Report
California State University - San Bernardino ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. CSUSB is a public institution located in San Bernardino, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 7 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUSB, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $5,985 for California International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend CSUSB.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full CSUSB International Relations & National Security Report
With a ranking of #11, San Francisco State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. San Francisco, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 73 students in 2020-2021.
SFSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for San Francisco State University is $10,705 for California International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at San Francisco State University
California State University - Chico ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Chico is a public institution located in Chico, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 16 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Chico State also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $11,754 for California International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 full report on International Relations & National Security at California State University - Chico
University of San Diego landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 46 students in 2020-2021.
USD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. It costs about $21,951 for California International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend USD.
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 full report on International Relations & National Security at University of San Diego
University of Redlands did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Redlands, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 5 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k list, University of Redlands has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Redlands is $20,409 for california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of Redlands International Relations & National Security Report
University of San Francisco came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. USFCA is located in San Francisco, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 47 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
USFCA also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list, coming in at #10. It costs about $32,023 for california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend USFCA.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 Relations & National Security at USFCA
Azusa Pacific University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Azusa, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 4 students in 2020-2021.
Azusa Pacific not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. It costs about $26,548 for California International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Azusa Pacific University.
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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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 Relations & National Security at Azusa Pacific
University of La Verne ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. ULV is located in La Verne, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
ULV not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #21 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend ULV is $28,256 for california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at ULV
With a ranking of #18, Loyola Marymount University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 51 students in 2020-2021.
Loyola Marymount not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola Marymount University is $32,730 for california international relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at Loyola Marymount
Saint Mary’s College of California did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #19. SMC is located in Moraga, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
SMC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend Saint Mary’s College of California is $28,783 for California International Relations students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 SMC International Relations & National Security Report
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
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