College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Focused Colleges for International Relations & National Security in the Plains States Region

36 Ranked Colleges
$29,300 Avg Cost*
Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2021-2022, 13,958 people earned their degree in international relations & national security, making the major the 67th most popular in the United States. 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.

Across the Plains States region, there were 387 international relations & national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,421 and $25,127 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region” ranking, we looked at 36 colleges that offer 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.

More Ways to Rank International Relations & National Security Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More International Relations Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region

The colleges and universities below are the best for plains states region international relations students.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for International Relations & National Security in the Plains States Region

1
Carleton crest
Carleton College
Northfield, Minnesota

Out of the 36 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Carleton College landed the #1 spot on the list. Carleton College is located in Northfield, Minnesota and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 56 ’s international relations degrees to qualified 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%. 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 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Carleton College International Relations & National Security Report

2
Cornell College crest
Cornell College
Mount Vernon, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Cornell College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region. Cornell College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Mount Vernon, Iowa. It awarded 3 ’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

3
Loras crest
Loras College
Dubuque, Iowa

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Loras College. The school came in at #3 for the Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region. Dubuque, Iowa is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 3 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Loras

4
Wartburg crest
Wartburg College
Waverly, Iowa

Out of the 36 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Wartburg College landed the #4 spot on the list. Wartburg College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Waverly, Iowa. It awarded 2 ’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 Wartburg International Relations & National Security Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Westminster College Missouri. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region list. Westminster Fulton is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fulton, Missouri. It awarded 3 ’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Westminster Fulton

6
William Jewell crest
William Jewell College
Liberty, Missouri

William Jewell College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Liberty, Missouri is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 3 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.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at William Jewell

7
Webster crest
Webster University
Saint Louis, Missouri

Webster University ranked #7 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region list. Webster is a medium-sized school located in Saint Louis, Missouri that handed out 54 ’s international relations degrees 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%.

Full Webster International Relations & National Security Report

8
St. Cloud State University crest
Saint Cloud State University
Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Saint Cloud State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #8. This fairly large school is located in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, and it awarded 17 ’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

9
Simpson College crest
Simpson College
Indianola, Iowa

Simpson College did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #9. Located in Indianola, Iowa, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2021-2022.

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 Simpson College International Relations & National Security Report

10
Drake crest
Drake University
Des Moines, Iowa

Drake University landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region ranking. This small school is located in Des Moines, Iowa, and it awarded 16 ’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full Drake University International Relations & National Security Report

11

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region ranking. This large school is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and it awarded 57 ’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

12
Augsburg crest
Augsburg University
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Augsburg University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 4 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Augsburg

13

With a ranking of #13, University of Minnesota - Duluth did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Duluth, Minnesota, this medium-sized public school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified ’s international relations students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.4% 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%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at University of Minnesota - Duluth

14
Union College crest
Union College Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska

Union College Nebraska did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region ranking, coming in at #14. Union College is a small school located in Lincoln, Nebraska that handed out 2 ’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 Union College Nebraska

15

University of Nebraska at Kearney came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Located in Kearney, Nebraska, this medium-sized public school handed out 2 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of Nebraska at Kearney

16
Bethel University Minnesota crest
Bethel University Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota

With a ranking of #16, Bethel University Minnesota did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region list. Saint Paul, Minnesota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 2 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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%.

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

17
Bellevue University crest
Bellevue University
Bellevue, Nebraska

Bellevue University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Bellevue University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Bellevue, Nebraska. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 37 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 Bellevue University International Relations & National Security Report

18
Lindenwood University crest
Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, Missouri

Lindenwood University ranked #18 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region list. This medium-sized school is located in Saint Charles, Missouri, and it awarded 13 ’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad 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 Lindenwood University

19
SLU crest
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, Missouri

With a ranking of #19, Saint Louis University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region list. Saint Louis, Missouri is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 11 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, 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. 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%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at SLU

20

With a ranking of #20, Minnesota State University - Mankato did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region list. Minnesota State University - Mankato is a public institution located in Mankato, Minnesota. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 6 ’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

21
Iowa crest
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa ranked #21 on this year’s Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region list. Iowa City, Iowa is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s international relations degrees to 35 students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Iowa

22
Mount Mercy crest
Mount Mercy University
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

With a ranking of #22, Mount Mercy University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region list. This small school is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and it awarded 0 ’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

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%.

Read more about International Relations & National Security at Mount Mercy University

23
Creighton crest
Creighton University
Omaha, Nebraska

Creighton University landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region ranking. Creighton is located in Omaha, Nebraska and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 6 ’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

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

Full Creighton International Relations & National Security Report

24
K -State crest
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

Kansas State University landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region ranking. This fairly large school is located in Manhattan, Kansas, and it awarded 6 ’s international relations degrees in 2021-2022.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Kansas State University International Relations & National Security Report

25

With a ranking of #25, University of St Thomas Minnesota did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on International Relations Major in the Plains States Region list. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 6 degrees to qualified ’s international relations students in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, 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 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at UST MN

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options