Best colleges for International Relations and National Security Studies in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
Stanford University, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and University of Southern California are the top bachelor's International Relations and National Security Studies programs in California by graduate earnings. Stanford University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $76,166, College Scorecard. University of Southern California, University of California-Davis and University of California-San Diego award the most International Relations and National Security Studies degrees in California: 135, 115 and 108 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 32 California colleges offer International Relations and National Security Studies and award 1,177 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The International Relations and National Security Studies program focuses on the complex interactions between nations, organized violence, and military conflict. This program is designed for students interested in understanding global…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University Stanford Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $76,166 | 107 | 92% | $12,032 | — |
| 2 | Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey Monterey Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $68,344 | 53 | — | — | — |
| 3 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $52,262 | 135 | 92% | $26,873 | $13,765 |
| 4 | University of San Diego San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $50,948 | 44 | 84% | $26,035 | $24,100 |
| 5 | University of San Francisco San Francisco Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $36,669 | 40 | 70% | $37,121 | $24,508 |
| 6 | San Diego State University San Diego Public · Bachelor's degree | $35,361 | 70 | 76% | — | $17,134 |
| 7 | Occidental College Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $35,231 | 38 | 81% | $28,024 | $19,275 |
| 8 | University of California-Davis Davis Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,949 | 115 | 86% | — | $12,416 |
| 9 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $34,575 | 21 | 79% | $36,488 | $20,500 |
| 10 | San Francisco State University San Francisco Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,254 | 37 | 50% | — | $16,750 |
Colleges awarding the most International Relations and National Security Studies degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 135 | $52,262 |
| 2 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 115 | $34,949 |
| 3 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public | 108 | Not reported |
| 4 | Stanford University Stanford Private not-for-profit | 107 | $76,166 |
| 5 | San Diego State University San Diego Public | 70 | $35,361 |
| 6 | Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey Monterey Private not-for-profit | 53 | $68,344 |
| 7 | University of San Diego San Diego Private not-for-profit | 44 | $50,948 |
| 8 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public | 41 | $27,021 |
| 9 | University of San Francisco San Francisco Private not-for-profit | 40 | $36,669 |
| 10 | Occidental College Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 38 | $35,231 |
ShowHide the other 22 California colleges offering International Relations and National Security Studies
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naval Postgraduate School (Graduate only) | Monterey | Public | 241 |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco | Public | 37 |
| Claremont McKenna College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 29 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 21 |
| California State University - San Bernardino | San Bernardino | Public | 18 |
| RAND School of Public Policy (Graduate only) | Santa Monica | Private not-for-profit | 18 |
| Pomona College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
| Santa Monica College | Santa Monica | Public | 11 |
| California State University - Chico | Chico | Public | 7 |
| Santa Barbara City College | Santa Barbara | Public | 6 |
| Claremont Graduate University (Graduate only) | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| University of Redlands | Redlands | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Scripps College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Ventura College | Ventura | Public | 2 |
| American River College | Sacramento | Public | 1 |
| Cal Poly Maritime Academy | Vallejo | Public | 1 |
| Cerritos College | Norwalk | Public | 1 |
| University of La Verne | La Verne | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| West Los Angeles College | Culver City | Public | 1 |
| Las Positas College | Livermore | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Political Scientists (SOC 19-3094).
Top skills
What Political Scientists earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing International Relations and National Security Studies programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most International Relations and National Security Studies degrees?+
University of Southern California (135 graduates a year), University of California-Davis (115 graduates a year) and University of California-San Diego (108 graduates a year) award the most International Relations and National Security Studies degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 32 California colleges offer International Relations and National Security Studies.
What is the best college for International Relations and National Security Studies in California?+
By graduate earnings, Stanford University leads among bachelor's International Relations and National Security Studies programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $76,166, College Scorecard. Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and University of Southern California follow. By degrees awarded, University of Southern California is the largest, with 135 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which International Relations and National Security Studies program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Stanford University tops the list at $76,166. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
What is the focus of the International Relations and National Security Studies program?+
The International Relations and National Security Studies program focuses on the complex interactions between nations, organized violence, and military conflict. This program is designed for students interested in understanding global…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, active learning, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Political Scientists?+
The national job outlook is about -3.1% growth with around 500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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