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2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

24 Ranked Colleges
373 Degrees Awarded
$15,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor's in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking.

In 2019-2020, 14,762 people earned their degree in international relations and national security, making the major the 65th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, international relations and national security graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $38,051 and had an average of $28,099 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Plains States region, there were 482 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $33,167 and $26,620 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 373 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,786 and $25,576 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 24 colleges that offered a degree in international relations and national security. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent international relations and national security programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the international relations and national security program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank International Relations & National Security Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Top 24 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security (Income $30-$48k) in the Plains States Region

#1

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#2 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Washington University in St Louis. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. This fairly large school is located in Saint Louis, Missouri, and it awarded 1 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

WUSTL also took the #2 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Washington University in St Louis is $6,248 for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The low 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%.

Full Washington University in St Louis International Relations & National Security Report

#2

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #2 spot on the list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is a large school located in Minneapolis, Minnesota that handed out 94 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMN Twin Cities, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $8,418 for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UMN Twin Cities.

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 low 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 full report on International Relations & National Security at UMN Twin Cities

#3

Carleton College

Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Carleton College. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Northfield, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 48 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Carleton, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Carleton is $9,358 for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The 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 94%. The low 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%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Carleton

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Minnesota - Duluth. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k. University of Minnesota - Duluth is located in Duluth, Minnesota and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 16 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

UMN Duluth also took the #10 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Minnesota - Duluth is $7,992 for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 3.1% 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 University of Minnesota - Duluth

#5

University of Missouri - St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri
#23 in overall quality

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #5 spot on the list. UMSL is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

UMSL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #23 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend UMSL is $6,838 for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at University of Missouri - St Louis

#6

Saint Cloud State University

Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. This fairly large school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Cloud State University also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Cloud State University is $11,274 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Saint Cloud State University

#24 in overall quality

Missouri Southern State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #7. Missouri Southern State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Joplin, Missouri. It awarded 8 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Missouri Southern not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #24 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Missouri Southern is $8,416 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Missouri Southern

Minnesota State University - Mankato ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Minnesota State Mankato is a fairly large public school situated in Mankato, Minnesota. It awarded 11 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Minnesota State Mankato did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Minnesota State University - Mankato is $11,781 for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Minnesota State University - Mankato International Relations & National Security Report

#9

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, Missouri
#18 in overall quality

Lindenwood University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #9. Lindenwood University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Charles, Missouri. It awarded 7 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Lindenwood University also took the #18 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Lindenwood University is $13,918 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%.

Full Lindenwood University International Relations & National Security Report

#10

University of Iowa

Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. University of Iowa is a large school located in Iowa City, Iowa that handed out 40 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Iowa not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Iowa is $15,073 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Iowa International Relations & National Security Report

#11

Wartburg College

Waverly, Iowa
#6 in overall quality

Wartburg College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Wartburg is a small school located in Waverly, Iowa that handed out 9 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Wartburg, the school also landed the #6 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $19,037 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Wartburg.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Wartburg International Relations & National Security Report

#12

Simpson College

Indianola, Iowa
#13 in overall quality

Simpson College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. Simpson College is a small school located in Indianola, Iowa that handed out 3 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Simpson College, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Simpson College is $15,323 for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Simpson College

#13

St Catherine University

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, St Catherine University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. St Catherine University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 4 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

St. Kate’s also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list, coming in at #21. It costs about $17,569 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend St Catherine University.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at St Catherine University

#14

Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. SLU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Saint Louis, Missouri. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 11 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SLU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for SLU is $21,082 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Saint Louis University

#15

Loras College

Dubuque, Iowa

Loras College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #15. Loras College is a small school located in Dubuque, Iowa that handed out 10 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Loras did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Loras College is $17,094 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Loras College

#16

William Jewell College

Liberty, Missouri

William Jewell College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. William Jewell is located in Liberty, Missouri and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

William Jewell also took the #16 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend William Jewell is $17,796 for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low student loan default rate of 4.8% 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%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at William Jewell

#17

Cornell College

Mount Vernon, Iowa

Cornell College did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #17. Cornell College is located in Mount Vernon, Iowa and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cornell College has also earned the #20 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cornell College is $21,970 for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 Cornell College International Relations & National Security Report

#18

Bellevue University

Bellevue, Nebraska
#22 in overall quality

Bellevue University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bellevue University is located in Bellevue, Nebraska and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Bellevue University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Bellevue University is $13,777 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Bellevue University

#19

Webster University

Saint Louis, Missouri
#12 in overall quality

Webster University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 5 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2019-2020.

Webster not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for Webster is $20,081 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.9% 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%.

Full Webster International Relations & National Security Report

#20

Augsburg University

Minneapolis, Minnesota
#14 in overall quality

Augsburg University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

Augsburg did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Augsburg is $21,545 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Augsburg

#21

Bethel University Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Bethel University Minnesota did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k list. Bethel University Minnesota is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It awarded 4 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k list, Bethel University Minnesota has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $19,525 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend Bethel University Minnesota.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Bethel University Minnesota

#22

Creighton University

Omaha, Nebraska
#7 in overall quality

Creighton University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #22. Creighton University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Omaha, Nebraska. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Creighton also took the #7 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Creighton is $28,108 for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 Creighton

#23

Drake University

Des Moines, Iowa

Drake University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #23. Des Moines, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 12 students in 2019-2020.

Drake did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Drake is $24,060 for Plains States Region Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students whose families make $30-$48k.

The low 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The 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.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Drake

#24

University of St Thomas Minnesota

Saint Paul, Minnesota
#5 in overall quality

University of St Thomas Minnesota landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Plains States Region For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

UST MN also took the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Plains States Region” ranking. It costs about $26,365 for plains states region bachelor’s degree international relations students whose families make $30-$48k per year to attend UST MN.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of St Thomas Minnesota 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

Footnotes

  • *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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to RepubFan12.

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