2023 Best International Studies Schools
Finding the Best International Studies School for You
International Studies is the #102 most popular major in the country with 7,368 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent. Or you may find the programs at a trade school to be a better alternative for you.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best International Studies Schools ranking. Our analysis looked at 143 schools in the United States to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured International Studies Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
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2023 Best International Studies Schools in the United States
The colleges and universities below are the best for international studies majors pursuing a .
Top 15% Best International Studies Schools
Our analysis found University of Pennsylvania to be the best school for international studies students who want to pursue a degree in the United States. Located in the large city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Carnegie Mellon University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best International Studies Schools list. Carnegie Mellon is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Pittsburgh.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Tufts University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best International Studies Schools list. Tufts is a large private not-for-profit school located in the large suburb of Medford.
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You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Northern Iowa. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best International Studies Schools list. UNI is a medium-sized public school located in the small city of Cedar Falls.
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The excellent programs at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best international studies schools in the United States. Located in the small city of Chapel Hill, UNC Chapel Hill is a public school with a very large student population.
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With a ranking of #6, University of Notre Dame did quite well on this year’s best schools for international studies students. Located in the large suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.
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University of California - Berkeley landed the #7 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best international studies programs. Located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public college with a fairly large student population.
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Bentley University ranked #8 on this year’s Best International Studies Schools list. Located in the small city of Waltham, Bentley is a private not-for-profit college with a medium-sized student population.
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With a ranking of #9, University of Southern California did quite well on this year’s best schools for international studies students. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles.
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George Fox University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best International Studies Schools ranking. Located in the fringe town of Newberg, GFU is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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Colby College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best International Studies Schools ranking. Located in the town of Waterville, Colby is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.
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University of California - San Diego landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best international studies programs. UCSD is a very large public school located in the large city of La Jolla.
The average amount in student loans that international studies majors at UCSD take out is $15,500. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $247.
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Washington University in St Louis came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best International Studies Schools ranking. WUSTL is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Louis.
On average, international studies graduates from WUSTL take out $19,000 in student loans while working on their degree.
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University of California - Los Angeles did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for international studies students. It came in at #14 on the list. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public school with a fairly large student population.
After completing their degree, international studies graduates from UCLA carry an average student debtload of $12,000.
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The University of Texas at Austin ranked #15 on this year’s Best International Studies Schools list. Located in the large city of Austin, UT Austin is a public school with a fairly large student population.
International Studies majors at UT Austin take out an average of $19,500 in student loans while working on their egree. Assuming that a graduate chooses a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly loan payment is $188.
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University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best International Studies Schools ranking. Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public school with a very large student population.
International Studies majors at UCSB take out an average of $14,370 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $295.
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With a ranking of #17, Boston College did quite well on this year’s best schools for international studies students. Boston College is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the small city of Chestnut Hill.
After completing their degree, international studies graduates from Boston College carry an average student debtload of $18,000.
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With a ranking of #18, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on this year’s best schools for international studies students. Located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor, U-M is a public college with a fairly large student population.
International Studies majors at U-M take out an average of $14,866 in student loans while working on their egree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $430.
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With a ranking of #19, Miami University - Oxford did quite well on this year’s best schools for international studies students. Located in the town of Oxford, Miami University - Oxford is a public college with a fairly large student population.
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Grand Valley State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for international studies students. It came in at #20 on the list. Located in the suburb of Allendale, GVSU is a public college with a fairly large student population.
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Texas A&M University - College Station ranked #21 on this year’s Best International Studies Schools list. Texas A&M College Station is a fairly large public school located in the city of College Station.
On average, international studies graduates from Texas A&M College Station take out $16,620 in student loans while working on their degree. For students who choose a 10-year repayment plan, the average monthly student loan payment is $281.
Read full report on International Studies at Texas A&M University - College Station
Request InformationAdditional Noteworthy Schools
Here are some additional great schools for International Studies students that almost earned our Best International Studies Schools award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | University of Richmond | University of Richmond, VA |
| 23 | Kansas State University | Manhattan, KS |
| 24 | Brandeis University | Waltham, MA |
| 25 | American Public University System | Charles Town, WV |
| 26 | Southern Methodist University | Dallas, TX |
| 27 | Washington State University | Pullman, WA |
| 28 | College of the Holy Cross | Worcester, MA |
International Studies by Region
View the Best International Studies Schools for a specific region near you.
| Region |
|---|
| Southeast |
| New England |
| Rocky Mountains |
| Plains States |
| Middle Atlantic |
| Far Western US |
| Southwest |
| Great Lakes |
More International Studies Rankings
International Studies Related Rankings by Major
One of 44 majors within the area of study, international studies has other similar majors worth exploring.
Most Popular Related Majors
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies | 34,975 |
| Biological & Physical Science | 30,075 |
| Interdisciplinary Studies | 9,074 |
| Nutrition Science | 5,330 |
| Behavioral Science | 4,169 |
Notes and References
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Yerpo.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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