2026 Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in Illinois
[International Relations & National Security](/majors/social-sciences/international-relations-national-security/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong international relations & national security 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 & national security students.
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2026 Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools in Illinois
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in international relations & national security, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value International Relations & National Security Schools
Leading the list is University Of Chicago, our #1 best value for international relations & national security in Illinois. Located in the city of Chicago, University Of Chicago is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,324. Typical student debt for international relations & national security graduates is $15,854. Soon after graduation, international relations & national security degree recipients from University Of Chicago generally make around $66,182. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 4% of applicants are accepted.
Wheaton College Illinois is a great value for students pursuing a degree in international relations & national security, landing the #2 spot this year. Wheaton College Illinois is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wheaton. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $45,546. Typical student debt for international relations & national security graduates is $23,875. Early-career international relations & national security graduates make about $40,084. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Wheaton College Illinois admits about 87% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Depaul University one of the best values for international relations & national security. Set in the city of Chicago, Depaul University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $45,405. International Relations & National Security graduates carry a median of $21,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, international relations & national security degree recipients from Depaul University generally make around $41,610. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Loyola University Chicago came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value international relations & national security schools. Set in the city of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $53,710. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the international relations & national security program here. International Relations & National Security graduates of Loyola University Chicago earn a median of $32,682 early in their careers. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 16 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.
