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2024 Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region

32 Colleges in the Great Lakes Region
1,086 Bachelor's Degrees
$32,939 Avg Early-Career Salary
International Relations & National Security is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #58 most popular bachelor's degree program in the country. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

In 2024, College Factual analyzed 32 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,086 bachelor's degrees in international relations & national security during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great International Relations & National Security School for Your Bachelor's Degree

Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes Region The international relations bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality international relations program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

A school that excels in educating for a particular major and degree level must be a great school overall as well. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Average Earnings

To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for international relations & national security students working on their bachelor's degree.

More Ways to Rank International Relations & National Security Schools

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 Best International Relations & National Security Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Great Lakes 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

Best Schools for Bachelor’s Students to Study International Relations & National Security in the Great Lakes Region

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in international relations & national security.

10 Top Great Lakes Region Schools for a Bachelor's in International Relations

1

Any student pursuing a degree in a bachelor's degree in international relations & national security needs to take a look at University of Chicago. Located in the large city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.

Bachelor's recipients from the international relations & national security major at University of Chicago earn $9,637 more than the typical graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from University of Chicago

2
42 Annual Graduates
$46,450 Median Starting Salary
$19,234 Median Student Debt

It is hard to beat Northwestern University if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in international relations & national security. Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston.

Those international relations & national security students who get their bachelor's degree from Northwestern University make $13,511 more than the standard international relations graduate.

More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Northwestern University

3
119 Annual Graduates
$28,104 Median Starting Salary
$19,000 Median Student Debt

Indiana University - Bloomington is a good option for individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in international relations & national security. IU Bloomington is a fairly large public university located in the city of Bloomington.

After graduation, international relations bachelor's recipients typically make about $28,104 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Indiana University - Bloomington

4
176 Annual Graduates
$31,674 Median Starting Salary
$19,500 Median Student Debt

Ohio State University - Main Campus is a great option for individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in international relations & national security. Ohio State is a very large public university located in the large city of Columbus.

After graduating, international relations bachelor's recipients generally make an average of $31,674 in their early careers.

More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Ohio State University - Main Campus

5
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
106 Annual Graduates
$42,937 Median Starting Salary
$24,766 Median Student Debt

Located in the small city of East Lansing, Michigan State is a public university with a very large student population.

International Relations & National Security bachelor's degree recipients from Michigan State University get an earnings boost of around $9,998 above the average earnings of international relations & national security graduates.

More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Michigan State University

6
Denison crest
Denison University
Granville, OH
17 Annual Graduates

Denison is a small private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Granville.More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Denison University

7
34 Annual Graduates
$33,417 Median Starting Salary
$23,875 Median Student Debt

Wheaton College Illinois is a small private not-for-profit college located in the suburb of Wheaton.

After graduation, international relations bachelor's recipients usually make about $33,417 in their early careers.

More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Wheaton College Illinois

8
Marquette crest
Marquette University
Milwaukee, WI
25 Annual Graduates
$37,437 Median Starting Salary
$20,750 Median Student Debt

Located in the city of Milwaukee, Marquette is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.

Those international relations & national security students who get their bachelor's degree from Marquette University receive $4,498 more than the typical international relations graduate.

More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Marquette University

9
91 Annual Graduates
$36,377 Median Starting Salary
$21,977 Median Student Debt

Miami University - Oxford is a large public university located in the town of Oxford.

Those international relations & national security students who get their bachelor's degree from Miami University - Oxford make $3,438 more than the typical international relations grad.

More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Miami University - Oxford

10
Lake Forest crest
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, IL

Located in the large suburb of Lake Forest, Lake Forest is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

International Relations & National Security bachelor's degree recipients from Lake Forest College earn a boost of approximately $4,707 above the average income of international relations & national security graduates.

More information about a bachelor’s in international relations & national security from Lake Forest College

Best International Relations & National Security Colleges by State

Explore the best international relations & national security colleges for a specific state in the Great Lakes Region .

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Michigan 261 209
Ohio 252 412
Illinois 241 231
Indiana 235 192
Wisconsin 213 42

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One of 13 majors within the Social Sciences area of study, International Relations & National Security has other similar majors worth exploring.

International Relations Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
International Relations 1,056
Other International Relations & National Security Studies 21
International Security 9

Related Major Annual Graduates
Economics 5,721
Political Science & Government 5,292
Sociology 2,738
Anthropology 955
Geography & Cartography 653
General Social Sciences 329
Other Social Sciences 167
Urban Studies 110
Sociology & Anthropology 87
Archeology 43

Notes and References

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