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2023 Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Virginia

12 Ranked Colleges
911 Degrees Awarded
$39,102 Avg Salary
Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for veterans. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s” ranking.

International Relations & National Security is the 67th most popular major in the country with 14,306 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. 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.

Across Virginia, there were 1,122 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $41,509 and $22,557 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 911 international relations and national security graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,553 and $27,844 respectively.

For this year’s “Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s” ranking, we looked at 12 colleges that offer 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 offer a lot of support to veterans and active service members.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as veteran satisfaction, veteran affordability, and overall quality of the international relations and national security program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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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 “Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s” 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. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s”.

Top 12 Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Veterans in Virginia

1
GMU crest
George Mason University
Fairfax, Virginia

Out of the 12 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, George Mason University landed the #1 spot on the list. GMU is a large public school situated in Fairfax, Virginia. It awarded 180 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

GMU also took the #3 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking.Our most recent data shows that 2,334 of the 38,541 students enrolled at George Mason University were GI Bill® students, of which 1,583 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $10,710. During this same period, 42 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. George Mason University does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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2
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend William & Mary. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s list. William & Mary is a medium-sized school located in Williamsburg, Virginia that handed out 72 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

William & Mary not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list.According to our most recent data, William & Mary supports 8,939 students, and 531 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 349 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $19,978. In addition to receiving other benefits, 5 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 William & Mary Veteran Student Life Report

3
JMU crest
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia

Out of the 12 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, James Madison University landed the #3 spot on the list. JMU is a large school located in Harrisonburg, Virginia that handed out 78 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at JMU, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking.Of the 21,594 students enrolled at James Madison University, 842 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 464 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $5,824. In addition to receiving other benefits, 3 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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 89%.

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4
Virginia Tech crest
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Virginia Tech. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s list. Virginia Tech is a large school located in Blacksburg, Virginia that handed out 156 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

Virginia Tech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list.Our most recent data shows that 119 of the 37,024 students enrolled at Virginia Tech were GI Bill® students, of which 108 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $12,314. To help with additional expenses, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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

Full Virginia Tech Veteran Student Life Report

5
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

Out of the 12 schools in the Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Virginia - Main Campus landed the #5 spot on the list. University of Virginia - Main Campus is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 203 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

University of Virginia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list.Of the 25,628 students enrolled at University of Virginia - Main Campus, 3 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]%, 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.

Full University of Virginia Veteran Student Life Report

6
Old Dominion crest
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia

Old Dominion University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s list. Old Dominion is located in Norfolk, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 30 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Old Dominion, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking.Of the 24,286 students enrolled at Old Dominion University, 1 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 0 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $0. On top of their other funding sources, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Old Dominion University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

[Read full report on veteran student life at Old Dominion University]](/colleges/old-dominion-university/student-life/veterans/)

7
VMI crest
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia

Virginia Military Institute ranked #7 on this year’s Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s list. Virginia Military Institute is a small school located in Lexington, Virginia that handed out 56 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2020-2021.

VMI also made our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list, coming in at #6.Our most recent data shows that 146 of the 1,698 students enrolled at VMI were GI Bill® students, of which 76 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $9,113. In addition to receiving other benefits, 0 students received scholarships through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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%.

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8
Liberty University crest
Liberty University
Lynchburg, Virginia

Liberty University did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Lynchburg, Virginia, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 47 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

Liberty University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list.Among the 93,349 students enrolled at Liberty University, 13,282 are GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 8,897 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $4,888. To help with additional expenses, 386 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Liberty University offers credit for military training for eligible students.

Full Liberty University Veteran Student Life Report

9
UMW crest
University of Mary Washington
Fredericksburg, Virginia

University of Mary Washington came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s ranking. Fredericksburg, Virginia is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

UMW did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” list.Of the 4,293 students enrolled at University of Mary Washington, 47 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 39 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $5,578. During this same period, 0 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Students may be able to receive credit for their military training, depending on their background.

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

Full UMW Veteran Student Life Report

10
Roanoke crest
Roanoke College
Salem, Virginia

Roanoke College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Salem, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Roanoke, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking.According to our most recent data, Roanoke College supports 1,920 students, and 68 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 50 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $19,471. On top of their other funding sources, 26 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program. Roanoke College does offer credit for military training for eligible students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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…

11
Hampden - Sydney crest
Hampden - Sydney College
Hampden-Sydney, Virginia

Hampden - Sydney College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 15 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Hampden - Sydney, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking.Of the 881 students enrolled at Hampden - Sydney College, 41 were GI Bill® students, according to our most recent data. Out of that number, 32 were Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average tuition and fees award for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients was $18,329. On top of their other funding sources, 16 students received funds through the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of [DEFAULT_RATE_STRING]% 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 Hampden - Sydney Veteran Student Life Report

12
Bridgewater crest
Bridgewater College
Bridgewater, Virginia

Bridgewater College did quite well in the 2023 Most Veteran Friendly in Virginia for International Relations for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Bridgewater, Virginia, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international relations students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our virginia bachelor’s degree vets studying international relations list, Bridgewater has also earned the #12 rank in our “Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor’s Degree Schools in Virginia” ranking.According to our most recent data, Bridgewater supports 1,597 students, and 52 of those are GI Bill® students, of which 25 are Post-9/11 GI Bill® recipients. The average Post-9/11 GI Bill® award for tuition and fees at the school was $14,809. To help with additional expenses, 19 students qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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

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Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

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