Best International Relations Schools Near Chattanooga, TN

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Chattanooga, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering international relations programs, with tuition ranging from $12,132 to $27,392 per year for indexed programs. Chattanooga has a population of about 182,832. Median household income is $61,028 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Tennessee, the top-earning international relations-related role is Economists at a median $117,650 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest International Relations Schools to Chattanooga

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer international relations programs near Chattanooga, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Chattanooga city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Chattanooga. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Middle Tennessee State University

Murfreesboro, TN 82.7 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,541
Avg net price $13,359/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 106

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Maryville College

Maryville, TN 86.5 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
47.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,279
Avg net price $19,360/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Knoxville, TN 96.4 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,249
Avg net price $18,976/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 143

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lipscomb University

Nashville, TN 113.0 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,541
Avg net price $24,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 107

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Belmont University

Nashville, TN 114.1 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
61.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 95%
Graduation rate 71%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,930
Avg net price $33,147/yr
Tuition
In‑state$42,540
Out‑of‑state$42,540
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Austin Peay State University

Clarksville, TN 155.6 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
44.5 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 96%
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,301
Avg net price $9,735/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,006
Out‑of‑state$14,766
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

East Tennessee State University

Johnson City, TN 182.9 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,859
Avg net price $15,983/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 97

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

King University

Bristol, TN 202.4 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,831
Avg net price $22,347/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Tennessee schools on the Tennessee international relations page.

International Relations Wages Near Chattanooga

Chattanooga is part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area (BLS area code 16860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Political Scientists N/A TN statewide –
Interpreters and Translators $52,970 Chattanooga, TN-GA $57,891
Management Analysts $96,870 Chattanooga, TN-GA $105,869
Economists $117,650 TN statewide $128,579
Public Relations Managers $113,840 Chattanooga, TN-GA $124,415
Compliance Officers $68,000 Chattanooga, TN-GA $74,317
Survey Researchers $66,900 TN statewide $73,115
Social and Community Service Managers $78,400 Chattanooga, TN-GA $85,683

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Chattanooga at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 182,832 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $61,028 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Chattanooga-Area Cities With International Relations Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited international relations schools are near Chattanooga, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering international relations programs near Chattanooga. The closest is Berry College in Mount Berry, GA (53.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Oakwood University (82.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying international relations roles near Chattanooga?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying international relations-related roles near Chattanooga are: Economists ($117,650), Public Relations Managers ($113,840), Management Analysts ($96,870). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in East Ridge instead of Chattanooga?

East Ridge, TN is 4.9 miles from Chattanooga and has its own set of local international relations programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Chattanooga an affordable place to study international relations?

Chattanooga’s median household income of $61,028 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chattanooga while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About International Relations Programs

Other Programs Available in Chattanooga

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Chattanooga:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best International Relations Schools in Tennessee (2026)