Best International Relations and Affairs colleges in the U.S. 2026

Do you know the latest news concerning the United States and North and South Korea? If developing and maintaining relationships among countries and applications of foreign policies interest you, consider a degree in international relations and affairs. Studying international relations and affairs will give students an invaluable insight into the world in which we live. Students will learn how to work for solutions to global problems such as the economy, politics, human rights, and legal issues. Political science, economics, diplomacy, foreign policy analysis, public policy, geography, world history, and international law are just a few courses students will take. Students should also expect to sign-up for foreign language courses.

Those interested in this degree should consider taking a trip abroad if they haven?t already done so. There?s no better way to study international affairs than to visit another country and put what you?ve learned in school to use.

International relations and affairs opens the door to careers as translators and interpreters, civil servants, global strategists, campaign managers, diplomats, and financial analysts. Individuals can find jobs with international businesses, the United States Foreign Services, the United Nations, and the Peace Corps. But there are also job opportunities in art, archeology, health care, education, agriculture, management, and finance.

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Best International Relations and Affairs colleges in the U.S. for 2026

University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
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University of Chicago offers 3 International Relations and Affairs degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 186 International Relations and Affairs students graduated with students earning 87 Certificates, 62 Master's degrees, and 37 Bachelor's degrees.

Yale University
New Haven, CT
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Yale University offers 2 International Relations and Affairs degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2024, 121 International Relations and Affairs students graduated with students earning 76 Bachelor's degrees, and 45 Master's degrees.

Harvard University
Cambridge, MA

Harvard University offers 3 International Relations and Affairs degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2024, 125 International Relations and Affairs students graduated with students earning 69 Master's degrees, and 56 Certificates.

Brown University
Providence, RI
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Brown University offers 1 International Relations and Affairs degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2024, 178 International Relations and Affairs students graduated with students earning 178 Bachelor's degrees.

Duke University
Durham, NC

Duke University offers 2 International Relations and Affairs degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 46 International Relations and Affairs students graduated with students earning 35 Master's degrees, and 11 Certificates.

Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins University offers 6 International Relations and Affairs degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 856 International Relations and Affairs students graduated with students earning 652 Master's degrees, 116 Certificates, 63 Bachelor's degrees, and 25 Doctoral degrees.

Rice University
Houston, TX

Rice University offers 1 International Relations and Affairs degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 18 International Relations and Affairs students graduated with students earning 18 Master's degrees.

Stanford University
Stanford, CA
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Stanford University offers 2 International Relations and Affairs degree programs. It's a large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2024, 90 International Relations and Affairs students graduated with students earning 62 Bachelor's degrees, and 28 Master's degrees.

University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
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University of Pennsylvania offers 1 International Relations and Affairs degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2024, 23 International Relations and Affairs students graduated with students earning 23 Bachelor's degrees.

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Northwestern University offers 1 International Relations and Affairs degree programs. It's a very large, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2024, 37 International Relations and Affairs students graduated with students earning 37 Bachelor's degrees.

List of all International Relations and Affairs colleges in the U.S.

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
University of Chicago Logo University of Chicago Chicago, IL
5/5
11 : 1 18,566
Yale University Logo Yale University New Haven, CT
5/5
11 : 1 15,564
Harvard University Logo Harvard University Cambridge, MA
5/5
17 : 1 30,259
Brown University Logo Brown University Providence, RI
5/5
12 : 1 11,956
Duke University Logo Duke University Durham, NC
5/5
11 : 1 17,499