2025 Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California
15
Colleges in California
1,395
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.
College Factual reviewed 15 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of international relations & national security. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,395 degrees in international relations & national security annually.
What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great International Relations & National Security School
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
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 California.
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 California
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 California Schools in International Relations
Every student pursuing a degree in international relations & national security needs to take a look at Stanford University. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #10 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Stanford is a great university overall.
There were approximately 89 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at Stanford in the most recent year we have data available. International Relations & National Security degree recipients from Stanford University receive an earnings boost of about $28,449 over the typical income of international relations & national security graduates.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from Stanford University
University of Southern California is a great choice for students interested in a degree in international relations & national security. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.
There were approximately 191 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent year we have data available. Those international relations & national security students who get their degree from University of Southern California earn $4,545 more than the typical international relations grad.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from University of Southern California
It is hard to beat Claremont McKenna College if you wish to pursue a degree in international relations & national security. Claremont McKenna is a small private not-for-profit college located in the large suburb of Claremont. A Best Colleges rank of #43 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Claremont McKenna is a great college overall.
There were about 30 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at Claremont McKenna in the most recent year we have data available.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from Claremont McKenna College
University of California - Davis is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in international relations & national security. UC Davis is a very large public university located in the small suburb of Davis. A Best Colleges rank of #55 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UC Davis is a great university overall.
There were roughly 121 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the international relations program report average early career income of $34,949.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from University of California - Davis
Located in the city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #49 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UCSD is a great university overall.
There were roughly 123 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the international relations & national security program at University of California - San Diego make $20,651 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 University of California - San Diego
Located in the large city of Los Angeles, Oxy is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. This college ranks 83rd out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 53 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at Oxy in the most recent data year. After graduation, international relations degree recipients generally earn about $35,231 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from Occidental College
Located in the city of San Francisco, SFSU is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 30th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were roughly 64 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at SFSU in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the international relations program make about $31,254 in the first couple years of their career.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from San Francisco State University
Located in the large city of San Diego, SDSU is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #185 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means SDSU is a great university overall.
There were about 91 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at SDSU in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the international relations program earn around $36,735 in their early career salary.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from San Diego State University
UCR is a very large public university located in the city of Riverside. This university ranks 28th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 92 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at UCR in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the international relations program state that they receive average early career earnings of $27,021.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from University of California - Riverside
Located in the city of San Francisco, USFCA is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #152 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means USFCA is a great university overall.
There were roughly 40 international relations & national security students who graduated with this degree at USFCA 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 $36,669.
More information about a degree in international relations & national security from University of San Francisco
