2026 Best Value International Security Schools in the The Plains States Region
[International Security](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/international-security/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for international security students.
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2026 Best Value International Security Schools in the The Plains States Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in international security, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value International Security Schools
For return on investment in international security, no school beat University Of Missouri Columbia this year. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,837, while out-of-state students pay about $36,056. Students borrow a median of $21,818 to complete the international security program here. International Security graduates of University Of Missouri Columbia earn a median of $53,134 early in their careers. Set against $21,818 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Missouri Columbia admits about 78% of applicants.
Bellevue University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value international security schools. Set in the suburb of Bellevue, Bellevue University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,873. International Security graduates carry a median of $27,852 in student loans. International Security graduates of Bellevue University earn a median of $61,548 early in their careers. Set against $27,852 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
