2023 Best Value Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $30-$48k)
223
Ranked Colleges
14,306
Degrees Awarded
$5,900
Avg Net Price*
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.
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.
For this year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 223 colleges that offer a degree in international relations and national security. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality international relations and national security programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the international relations and national security program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k” list to help you make the college decision.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $30-$48k)
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 53 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
Duke also took the #10 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. It costs about $-927 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Duke University. The negative number means the student will receive more financial aid on average than it costs to attend the school.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Duke University International Relations & National Security Report
Out of the 223 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #2 spot on the list. Stanford University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 66 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, Stanford has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stanford is $1,581 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Stanford
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Yale University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Yale is a private not-for-profit institution located in New Haven, Connecticut. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 88 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Yale also took the #4 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Yale University is $3,083 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Yale International Relations & National Security Report
Out of the 223 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Harvard University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 149 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
Harvard also took the #9 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Harvard is $1,396 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full Harvard University International Relations & National Security Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Johns Hopkins University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k. Johns Hopkins University is located in Baltimore, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 686 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, Johns Hopkins has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Johns Hopkins University is $4,859 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at Johns Hopkins
University of Chicago landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Chicago, Illinois, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 162 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
UChicago did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It costs about $4,777 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Chicago.
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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 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 University of Chicago
Northwestern University landed the #7 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Northwestern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Evanston, Illinois. It awarded 42 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northwestern has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. It costs about $917 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Northwestern University.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.
Full Northwestern University International Relations & National Security Report
University of Pennsylvania ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 44 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
UPenn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It costs about $1,938 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend University of Pennsylvania.
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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Full University of Pennsylvania International Relations & National Security Report
Tufts University landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Tufts University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Medford, Massachusetts. It awarded 478 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Tufts also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list, coming in at #3. The yearly cost to attend Tufts University is $7,987 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
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. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% 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 Relations & National Security at Tufts University
Claremont McKenna College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Claremont McKenna College is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 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 #7 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Claremont McKenna is $8,693 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%. 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.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at Claremont McKenna
Columbia University in the City of New York ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Columbia is a large school located in New York, New York that handed out 156 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
Columbia also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list, coming in at #20. The estimated yearly cost for Columbia University in the City of New York is $4,699 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, 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 95%. 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.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at Columbia
Brown University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Providence, Rhode Island is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 39 students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Brown, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Brown University is $2,842 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Brown
Georgetown University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Washington, District of Columbia, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 572 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
Georgetown not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It costs about $9,871 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Georgetown University.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at Georgetown
William & Mary ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Williamsburg, Virginia, this medium-sized public school awarded 72 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, William & Mary is in the top on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $7,507 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at William & Mary
With a ranking of #15, Rice University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 16 students in 2020-2021.
Rice also took the #22 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Rice University is $1,340 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 0.2% 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 Rice
With a ranking of #16, Wellesley College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 14 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
It costs about $8,021 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wellesley College.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at Wellesley
Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Bloomington, Indiana, this large public school awarded 124 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
IU Bloomington excels when it comes to international relations quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $7,061 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend IU Bloomington.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.4%, 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.
Full Indiana University - Bloomington International Relations & National Security Report
Vassar College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Vassar is a small school located in Poughkeepsie, New York that handed out 12 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education it offers, Vassar is also in the top of our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It costs about $13,193 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Vassar College.
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%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 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 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full Vassar College International Relations & National Security Report
University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #19. University of Virginia is a large public school situated in Charlottesville, Virginia. It awarded 208 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Virginia, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia is $10,063 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full University of Virginia - Main Campus International Relations & National Security Report
Colgate University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Hamilton, New York, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 37 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Colgate, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. It costs about $7,197 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Colgate University.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Colgate University
Florida State University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Florida State University is a public institution located in Tallahassee, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 341 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on this list, Florida State is in the top on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The estimated yearly cost for Florida State is $7,349 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Florida State University
Emory University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Emory is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 27 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.
Emory not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” list. It costs about $8,976 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Emory.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at Emory University
Carleton College landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This small school is located in Northfield, Minnesota, and it awarded 38 ’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Carleton, the school also landed the #25 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Schools” ranking. It costs about $13,410 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Carleton College.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.
Full Carleton International Relations & National Security Report
With a ranking of #24, Pomona College did quite well on the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
Pomona excels when it comes to international relations quality. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $6,239 for International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Pomona.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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.
Read more about International Relations & National Security at Pomona
University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Best Value International Relations Schools For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Tampa, Florida, this large public school awarded 75 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend USF Tampa is $5,632 for international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.
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%. With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on International Relations & National Security at USF Tampa
