2026 Best Value International Relations Schools in Texas
[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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 16 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for international relations students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value International Relations Schools in Texas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in international relations, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value International Relations Schools
Rice University tops our 2026 list of the best value international relations schools in Texas. Set in the city of Houston, Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $61,247. International Relations graduates carry a median of $11,904 in student loans. Soon after graduation, international relations degree recipients from Rice University generally make around $82,320. Set against $11,904 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Rice University admits about 8% of applicants.
The University Of Texas At San Antonio came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value international relations schools. Located in the city of San Antonio, The University Of Texas At San Antonio is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,326 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $22,249. Typical student debt for international relations graduates is $24,343. Soon after graduation, international relations degree recipients from The University Of Texas At San Antonio generally make around $25,879. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Texas At Austin came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value international relations schools. The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public school located in the city of Austin. Students from in state pay about $11,688 in tuition and fees, compared with $44,908 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for international relations graduates is $21,275. International Relations graduates of The University Of Texas At Austin earn a median of $61,625 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Texas At Austin admits about 27% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Texas State University San Marcos one of the best values for international relations. Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public school located in the city of San Marcos. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,450, compared with $22,930 for out-of-state students. International Relations graduates carry a median of $18,344 in student loans. Soon after graduation, international relations degree recipients from Texas State University San Marcos generally make around $20,547. Set against $18,344 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas State University San Marcos admits about 89% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Texas A And M University College Station earned it the #5 place for international relations. Located in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,995 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,124 for out-of-state students. International Relations graduates carry a median of $20,031 in student loans. Soon after graduation, international relations degree recipients from Texas A And M University College Station generally make around $62,296. Set against $20,031 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas A And M University College Station admits about 57% of applicants.
St Marys University landed the #6 spot for international relations value this year. St Marys University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Antonio. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $37,434. Typical student debt for international relations graduates is $25,040. International Relations graduates of St Marys University earn a median of $56,547 early in their careers. Set against $25,040 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Baylor University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value international relations schools. Baylor University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Waco. Students from in state pay about $58,100 in tuition and fees. International Relations graduates carry a median of $22,409 in student loans. Early-career international relations graduates make about $37,507. That is a strong return on a $22,409 median debt. Roughly 51% of applicants are accepted.
More International Relations Rankings
View All International Relations Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
