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2025 Best International Relations & National Security Schools in New York

18 Colleges in New York
1,186 International Relations Degrees Awarded
$47,717 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you plan on majoring in international relations & national security, you won't be alone since the degree program is ranked #67 in the country in terms of popularity. As a result, there are many college that offer the degree, making your choice of school a hard one.

For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 18 schools in New York to determine which ones were the best for international relations & national security students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,186 degrees in international relations & national security annually.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great International Relations & National Security School

Best International Relations & National Security Schools in New York Your choice of international relations & national security school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall International Relations & National Security School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

Pick Your International Relations & National Security Degree Level

Bachelor's Degrees in International Relations
Master's Degrees in International Relations

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 the Best International Relations & National Security Schools in New York. If you'd like to restrict your choices to just one part of the country, you can filter this list by location.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. 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.

If you want to learn more about how we derive our rankings, see College Factual's Methodology.

Best Schools for International Relations & National Security in New York

Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the international relations degree levels they offer.

10 Top New York Schools in International Relations

1
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
154 International Relations Degrees Awarded
$80,448 Median Starting Salary

Any student pursuing a degree in international relations & national security has to take a look at Columbia University in the City of New York. Columbia is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #15 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were about 154 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent data year. International Relations & National Security degree recipients from Columbia University in the City of New York earn a boost of approximately $32,731 above the average earnings of international relations & national security graduates.

More information about a degree in international relations & national security from Columbia University in the City of New York

2
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
119 International Relations Degrees Awarded
$46,771 Median Starting Salary

Every student pursuing a degree in international relations & national security needs to check out Fordham University. Fordham U is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Bronx. A Best Colleges rank of #67 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Fordham U is a great university overall.

There were about 119 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at Fordham U in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the international relations program report average early career wages of $46,771.

More information about a degree in international relations & national security from Fordham University

3
Colgate crest
Colgate University
Hamilton, NY
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
10th Most Popular In NY
47 International Relations Degrees Awarded

Colgate University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in international relations & national security. Located in the rural area of Hamilton, Colgate is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #133 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Colgate is a great university overall.

There were about 47 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at Colgate in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in international relations & national security from Colgate University

4
NYU crest
New York University
New York, NY
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
193 International Relations Degrees Awarded
5.7% Growth in Graduates

It is hard to beat New York University if you wish to pursue a degree in international relations & national security. NYU is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of New York. A Best Colleges rank of #16 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means NYU is a great university overall.

There were about 193 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at NYU in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the international relations & national security major at New York University earn $12,097 more than the typical graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in international relations & national security from New York University

5
Syracuse crest
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
194 International Relations Degrees Awarded
0.5% Growth in Graduates

Located in the midsize city of Syracuse, Syracuse is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #62 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Syracuse is a great university overall.

There were approximately 194 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at Syracuse in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, international relations degree recipients usually make an average of $47,635 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in international relations & national security from Syracuse University

6
Hamilton crest
Hamilton College
Clinton, NY
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$45,332 Median Starting Salary

Located in the midsize suburb of Clinton, Hamilton is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #138 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Hamilton is a great college overall.

There were about 25 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at Hamilton in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the international relations program make around $45,332 for their early career.

More information about a degree in international relations & national security from Hamilton College

7
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
11th Most Popular In NY

University of Rochester is a large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Rochester. A Best Colleges rank of #82 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means University of Rochester is a great university overall.

There were roughly 20 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at University of Rochester in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in international relations & national security from University of Rochester

8
Vassar crest
Vassar College
Poughkeepsie, NY

Located in the large suburb of Poughkeepsie, Vassar is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. This college ranks 38th out of 136 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were roughly 24 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at Vassar in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the international relations program earn an average of $31,956 in their early career salary.

More information about a degree in international relations & national security from Vassar College

9
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$40,648 Median Starting Salary

Located in the distant town of Geneva, The Colleges is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. This college ranks 42nd out of 136 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were approximately 16 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at The Colleges in the most recent year we have data available. After graduation, international relations degree recipients typically make an average of $40,648 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in international relations & national security from Hobart and William Smith Colleges

10
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
20th Most Popular In NY
28.6% Growth in Graduates

UAlbany is a large public university located in the medium-sized city of Albany. This university ranks 27th out of 136 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were about 14 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at UAlbany in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in international relations & national security from University at Albany

Best International Relations & National Security Colleges in the Middle Atlantic Region

Explore all the Best International Relations & National Security Schools in the Middle Atlantic Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Pennsylvania 334 530
Maryland 279 682
New Jersey 273 185
District of Columbia 188 2,256
Delaware 175 55

View All Rankings >

International Relations & National Security is one of 13 different types of Social Sciences programs to choose from.

International Relations Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
International Relations 1,146
International Security 40

View All International Relations Focus Areas >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Economics 5,181
Political Science & Government 3,770
Sociology 2,695
General Social Sciences 1,070
Anthropology 863
Urban Studies 340
Geography & Cartography 320
Other Social Sciences 250
Sociology & Anthropology 100
Archeology 30

View All International Relations Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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