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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security

364 Ranked Colleges
8,561 Degrees Awarded
$36,051 Avg Salary
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on International Relations Major

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

International Relations & National Security is the 67th most popular major in the country with 13,958 degrees awarded in 2021-2022. In , international relations & national security graduates who were awarded their degree in , earned an average of $41,264 and had an average of $27,636 in loans still to pay off.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 8,561 international relations & national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,724 and $23,030 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major” ranking analyzed 364 colleges that offered a degree in international relations & national security. That schools that top this list have a program in international relations & national security in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
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More International Relations Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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 “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major” list to help you make the college decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our 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.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree international relations students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations & National Security

1

Out of the 364 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Schiller International University landed the #1 spot on the list. Tampa, Florida is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 0 students in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Schiller International University

2
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Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia

Out of the 364 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Virginia Military Institute landed the #2 spot on the list. Virginia Military Institute is a small public school situated in Lexington, Virginia. It awarded 45 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, 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 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Virginia Military Institute

3

Out of the 364 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Prescott, Arizona, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 61 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott

4
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American University
Washington, District of Columbia

Out of the 364 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major that were part of this year’s ranking, American University landed the #4 spot on the list. The American University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Washington, District of Columbia. It awarded 382 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at The American University

5
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Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Carleton College. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major. 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 56 students in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Carleton

6
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Agnes Scott College
Decatur, Georgia

Agnes Scott College ranked #6 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Agnes Scott is a small school located in Decatur, Georgia that handed out 9 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 Agnes Scott

7
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Hampden - Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

Hampden - Sydney College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking, coming in at #7. Hampden - Sydney College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia. It awarded 14 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Hampden - Sydney International Relations & National Security Report

8
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Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #8, Occidental College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Occidental College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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. 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.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Occidental College

9
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Lafayette College
Easton, Pennsylvania

Lafayette College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. Lafayette is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Easton, Pennsylvania. It awarded 37 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. 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 undergraduate 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.

Full Lafayette College International Relations & National Security Report

10
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George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia

George Washington University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. Washington, District of Columbia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 537 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at GWU

11
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Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

Claremont McKenna College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking, coming in at #11. Claremont McKenna College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 30 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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. With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Claremont McKenna College International Relations & National Security Report

12
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Rhodes College
Memphis, Tennessee

Rhodes College landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. This small school is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and it awarded 16 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Rhodes College

13
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Hamilton College
Clinton, New York

Hamilton College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking, coming in at #13. This small school is located in Clinton, New York, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 Hamilton International Relations & National Security Report

14
Conn College crest
Connecticut College
New London, Connecticut

With a ranking of #14, Connecticut College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Connecticut College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in New London, Connecticut. It awarded 26 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. 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 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Connecticut College International Relations & National Security Report

15
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The College of Idaho
Caldwell, Idaho

With a ranking of #15, The College of Idaho did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Located in Caldwell, Idaho, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 14 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at The College of Idaho

16
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Hollins University
Roanoke, Virginia

With a ranking of #16, Hollins University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. This small school is located in Roanoke, Virginia, and it awarded 5 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

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 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%.

Full Hollins University International Relations & National Security Report

17
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Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vermont

Middlebury College ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Middlebury College is a small school located in Middlebury, Vermont that handed out 49 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

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 impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.1%, which is much lower than the national 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 Middlebury

18
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United States Military Academy
West Point, New York

United States Military Academy landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. United States Military Academy is located in West Point, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 31 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at West Point

19
Dickinson crest
Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania

Dickinson College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking, coming in at #19. Dickinson is a private not-for-profit institution located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 29 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% 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 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Dickinson College

20
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Colgate University
Hamilton, New York

With a ranking of #20, Colgate University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Colgate University is located in Hamilton, New York and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 47 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

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 93%.

Full Colgate University International Relations & National Security Report

21
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Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts

With a ranking of #21, Mount Holyoke College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. This small school is located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, and it awarded 28 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. 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 school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Mount Holyoke College

22
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Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia

Georgetown University ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Located in Washington, District of Columbia, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 268 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 98%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Georgetown University International Relations & National Security Report

23
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Beloit College
Beloit, Wisconsin

Beloit College ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Beloit is a small school located in Beloit, Wisconsin that handed out 11 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergraduate 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. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 88%.

Full Beloit International Relations & National Security Report

24
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Wheaton College Illinois
Wheaton, Illinois

With a ranking of #24, Wheaton College Illinois did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major list. Located in Wheaton, Illinois, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 24 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Wheaton College Illinois International Relations & National Security Report

25
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Principia College
Elsah, Illinois

Principia College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major ranking. Principia College is located in Elsah, Illinois and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

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 Principia

Rest of the Best 50 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major

Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
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Tufts University
Medford, MA
27
SUNY Geneseo crest
SUNY Geneseo
Geneseo, NY
28
29
30
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Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, IL
31
32
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Rollins College
Winter Park, FL
33
34
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Norwich University
Northfield, VT
35
36
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Cornell College
Mount Vernon, IA
37
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Denison University
Granville, OH
38
39
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Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA
40
Allegheny crest
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA
41
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Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, NY
42
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Knox College
Galesburg, IL
43
44
45
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Wells College
Aurora, NY
46
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Goucher College
Baltimore, MD
47
48
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William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA
49
50
Pomona crest
Pomona College
Claremont, CA

Rest of the Top 15% Colleges in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on International Relations Major

While not in the ’top 50’, these schools make the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

RankCollegeLocation
51University of DenverDenver, CO
52Oglethorpe UniversityAtlanta, GA
53Gettysburg CollegeGettysburg, PA
54Wofford CollegeSpartanburg, SC
55Seton Hall UniversitySouth Orange, NJ

Notes and References

References

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