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Best International Relations & Security Schools in California

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2023 Best International Relations & Security Schools in California

24 Colleges
$39,402 Avg Salary
$17,860 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best International Relations & National Security School for You

In 2020-2021, 1,379 degrees and certificates were awarded to international relations and national security students who went to a California college or university. This makes it the #76 most popular major in the state.

With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools with offerings that you might find attractive.

The Best International Relations & Security Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 24 schools in California to see which ones offered the best programs for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best International Relations & National Security Schools in California

Check out the international relations programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.

Top 10 Best International Relations & National Security Schools

#1

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, CA

Our 2023 rankings named Claremont McKenna College the best school in California for international relations and national security students. Claremont McKenna is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Claremont.

On average, international relations graduates from Claremont McKenna take out $15,500 in student loans while working on their degree.

Full International Relations & National Security at Claremont McKenna College Report

#2

Stanford University

Stanford, CA

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best International Relations & Security Schools in California list. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Stanford.

Full International Relations & National Security at Stanford University Report

#3

Pomona College

Claremont, CA

Out of the 24 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Pomona College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in the large suburb of Claremont, Pomona is a private not-for-profit school with a small student population.

Read More…

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means University of Southern California is a great place for international relations and national security students. USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles.

The average amount in student loans that international relations majors at USC take out is $14,500. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $340.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of Southern California

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means University of California - San Diego is a great place for international relations and national security students. UCSD is a fairly large public school located in the city of La Jolla.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of California - San Diego

#6

Occidental College

Los Angeles, CA

With a ranking of #6, Occidental College did quite well on this year’s best schools for international relations and national security students. Oxy is a small private not-for-profit school located in the large city of Los Angeles.

On average, international relations graduates from Oxy take out $21,654 in student loans while working on their degree.

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

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey ranked #7 on this year’s Best International Relations & Security Schools in California list. Middlebury Institute is a fairly small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Monterey.

While working on their degree, international relations majors at Middlebury Institute accumulate an average of around $15,191 in student debt.

Read More…

#8

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA

Loyola Marymount University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best international relations and national security programs. Loyola Marymount is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at Loyola Marymount University

University of California - Davis came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best International Relations & Security Schools in California ranking. Located in the small suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public school with a fairly large student population.

On average, international relations graduates from UC Davis take out $13,000 in student loans while working on their degree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $376.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of California - Davis

#10

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA

University of San Francisco came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best International Relations & Security Schools in California ranking. USFCA is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco.

The average amount in student loans that international relations majors at USFCA take out is $19,500.

Read full report on International Relations & National Security at University of San Francisco

Best International Relations & National Security Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best International Relations & National Security Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Washington 64
Oregon 56
Nevada 49
Hawaii 18

International Relations & National Security is one of 12 different types of programs to choose from.

Majors Similar to International Relations

Related Major Annual Graduates
Political Science & Government 49,282
Economics 49,055
Sociology 38,475
General Social Sciences 18,997
Anthropology 11,415

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 24 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 RepubFan12.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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