Best Schools for International Relations and National Security Studies

Top colleges ranked by median earnings 2 years after graduation.

50
Schools
$44,845
Avg. Earnings
3,065
Graduates
#1
S

Stanford University

Stanford, CA · Private

$58,221
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $60,442
Graduates: 26
Acceptance: 3.9%
#2
M

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

Monterey, CA ·

$55,964
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $43,313
Graduates: 23
Acceptance: N/A
#3
B

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, PA · Private

$55,964
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $44,905
Graduates: 20
Acceptance: 32.0%
#4
M

Middlebury College

Middlebury, VT · Private

$55,964
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $43,313
Graduates: 23
Acceptance: 10.4%
#5
U

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA · Private

$55,547
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 5.9%
#6
C

Colgate University

Hamilton, NY · Private

$53,775
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 11.9%
#7
Y

Yale University

New Haven, CT · Private

$52,107
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $69,045
Graduates: 20
Acceptance: 4.5%
#8
J

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD · Private

$50,231
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $57,526
Graduates: 61
Acceptance: 7.6%
#9
B

Brown University

Providence, RI · Private

$50,105
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $37,882
Graduates: 41
Acceptance: 5.2%
#10
D

Dickinson College

Carlisle, PA · Private

$48,823
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 43.1%
#11
G

Georgetown University

Washington, DC · Private

$48,752
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $44,920
Graduates: 139
Acceptance: 13.1%
#12
L

Lafayette College

Easton, PA · Private

$48,198
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $47,229
Graduates: 17
Acceptance: 31.5%
#13
T

Tufts University

Medford, MA · Private

$48,139
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $46,957
Graduates: 86
Acceptance: 10.1%
#14
C

California State University Maritime Academy

Vallejo, CA · Public

$47,394
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $40,865
Graduates: 33
Acceptance: 98.7%
#15
F

Fairfield University

Fairfield, CT · Private

$47,260
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 45.0%
#16
A

American Public University System

Charles Town, WV ·

$47,260
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $53,980
Graduates: 59
Acceptance: N/A
#17
G

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus

Atlanta, GA · Public

$46,478
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 16.5%
#18
N

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL · Private

$46,087
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $46,450
Graduates: 23
Acceptance: 7.1%
#19
H

Hamilton College

Clinton, NY · Private

$46,087
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 11.8%
#20
G

George Washington University

Washington, DC · Private

$45,997
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $45,627
Graduates: 394
Acceptance: 43.5%
#21
W

Wheaton College

Wheaton, IL · Private

$45,696
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $33,417
Graduates: 26
Acceptance: 90.0%
#22
M

Mount Holyoke College

South Hadley, MA · Private

$45,696
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $39,377
Graduates: 16
Acceptance: 38.3%
#23
W

William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA · Public

$45,383
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $43,636
Graduates: 57
Acceptance: 32.7%
#24
M

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI · Public

$44,170
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $42,937
Graduates: 107
Acceptance: 83.9%
#25
U

University of New Hampshire-Main Campus

Durham, NH · Public

$44,170
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $29,914
Graduates: 30
Acceptance: 86.9%
#26
N

Northeastern University Oakland

Oakland, CA · Private

$44,021
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $42,014
Graduates: 74
Acceptance: 16.5%
#27
N

Northeastern University

Boston, MA · Private

$44,021
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $42,014
Graduates: 74
Acceptance: 5.7%
#28
U

University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charlottesville, VA · Public

$43,674
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $45,350
Graduates: 131
Acceptance: 16.9%
#29
U

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private

$42,884
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $48,625
Graduates: 148
Acceptance: 10.0%
#30
A

American University

Washington, DC · Private

$42,469
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $41,948
Graduates: 472
Acceptance: 47.4%
#31
L

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA · Private

$42,123
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 29.3%
#32
R

Roger Williams University

Bristol, RI · Private

$41,565
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 87.8%
#33
E

Emory University

Atlanta, GA · Private

$41,342
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $45,984
Graduates: 40
Acceptance: 11.1%
#34
S

Skidmore College

Saratoga Springs, NY · Private

$41,193
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 22.9%
#35
F

Fordham University

Bronx, NY · Private

$40,821
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $40,642
Graduates: 113
Acceptance: 56.3%
#36
L

Liberty University

Lynchburg, VA · Private

$40,467
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $43,248
Graduates: 29
Acceptance: 99.3%
#37
C

Connecticut College

New London, CT · Private

$39,729
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $44,217
Graduates: 20
Acceptance: 38.3%
#38
M

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Mankato, MN · Public

$39,369
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 91.3%
#39
B

Brigham Young University

Provo, UT · Private

$39,369
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $42,006
Graduates: 19
Acceptance: 69.2%
#40
V

Virginia Military Institute

Lexington, VA · Public

$39,305
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $39,302
Graduates: 73
Acceptance: 81.7%
#41
S

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $33,835
Graduates: 87
Acceptance: 96.2%
#42
C

CUNY City College

New York, NY · Public

$39,009
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $31,183
Graduates: 59
Acceptance: 58.1%
#43
G

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA · Public

$38,889
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $39,409
Graduates: 164
Acceptance: 88.8%
#44
V

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Blacksburg, VA · Public

$38,878
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $39,039
Graduates: 69
Acceptance: 57.0%
#45
B

Boston University

Boston, MA · Private

$38,797
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $38,920
Graduates: 185
Acceptance: 10.8%
#46
N

Norwich University

Northfield, VT · Private

$38,721
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $35,996
Graduates: 29
Acceptance: 73.6%
#47
U

University of San Diego

San Diego, CA · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $23,959
Graduates: 34
Acceptance: 46.8%
#48
W

Wheaton College (Massachusetts)

Norton, MA · Private

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 71.3%
#49
B

Bowling Green State University-Main Campus

Bowling Green, OH · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
Acceptance: 80.6%
#50
U

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Public

$38,289
2yr Earnings
1yr Earnings: $29,596
Graduates: 44
Acceptance: 61.5%

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard - earnings data for graduates with this field of study.

Earnings: Median earnings 2 years after graduation for students who completed this major.

College logos from Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA).