2026 Best Value International Relations Schools in District of Columbia
[International Relations](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/international-relations/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong international relations education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value international relations schools.
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2026 Best Value International Relations Schools in District of Columbia
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the international relations degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value International Relations Schools
For return on investment in international relations, no school beat George Washington University this year. Set in the city of Washington, George Washington University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,710. Typical student debt for international relations graduates is $22,000. International Relations graduates of George Washington University earn a median of $61,820 early in their careers. Set against $22,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 47% of applicants are accepted.
Georgetown University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in international relations, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Washington, Georgetown University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $68,089. Students borrow a median of $17,500 to complete the international relations program here. Early-career international relations graduates make about $69,394. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 13%.
American University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in international relations, landing the #3 spot this year. American University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Washington. In-state tuition and fees average $58,771. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the international relations program here. International Relations graduates of American University earn a median of $58,712 early in their careers. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. American University admits about 62% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
