2024 Best Political Science & Government Schools in California
57
Colleges in California
8,530
Political Science Degrees Awarded
$33,769
Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a degree in
political science & government, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #20 most popular program in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.
For its 2024 ranking, College Factual looked at 57 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for political science & government students pursuing a degree. Combined, these schools handed out 8,530 degrees in political science & government to qualified students.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
Choosing a Great Political Science & Government School
Your choice of political science & government school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. For our Best Overall Political Science & Government School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Political Science & Government Rankings by Degree Level
The political science school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best Political Science & Government Schools in California.
More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you.
Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
Read more about College Factual's methodology.
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Featured Political Science & Government Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
BA in Political Science
Gain a solid understanding of American political history, the current political landscape, and the major political parties with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
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Best Schools for Political Science & Government in California
If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the political science degrees they offer, see the list below.
10 Top California Schools in Political Science
Stanford University is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in political science & government. Stanford is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Stanford. A Best Colleges rank of #3 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Stanford is a great university overall.
There were roughly 86 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Stanford in the most recent year we have data available. Political Science & Government degree recipients from Stanford University get an earnings boost of approximately $12,638 above the average income of political science & government graduates.
More information about a degree in political science & government from Stanford University
Every student pursuing a degree in political science & government needs to take a look at University of California - Berkeley. UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #18 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.
There were about 537 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent data year. Those political science & government students who get their degree from University of California - Berkeley make $6,757 more than the typical political science student.
More information about a degree in political science & government from University of California - Berkeley
University of Southern California is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in political science & government. USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means USC is a great university overall.
There were roughly 150 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the political science & government major at University of Southern California make $7,274 above the average college graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
More information about a degree in political science & government from University of Southern California
University of California - Los Angeles is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in political science & government. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #26 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.
There were roughly 713 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients generally make around $35,138 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a degree in political science & government from University of California - Los Angeles
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
49th
Most Popular In CA
38
Political Science Degrees Awarded
Located in the large suburb of Claremont, Claremont McKenna is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Claremont McKenna is a great college overall.
There were roughly 38 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at Claremont McKenna in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in political science & government from Claremont McKenna College
Located in the suburb of Davis, UC Davis is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #52 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UC Davis is a great university overall.
There were about 328 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UC Davis in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduating, political science degree recipients usually earn about $32,542 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a degree in political science & government from University of California - Davis
UCSD is a fairly large public university located in the large city of La Jolla. A Best Colleges rank of #38 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UCSD is a great university overall.
There were roughly 469 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the political science program make an average of $28,579 for their early career.
More information about a degree in political science & government from University of California - San Diego
UC Irvine is a very large public university located in the large city of Irvine. A Best Colleges rank of #61 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UC Irvine is a great university overall.
There were about 361 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the political science program earn around $29,631 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a degree in political science & government from University of California - Irvine
Located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #45 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UCSB is a great university overall.
There were approximately 328 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent year we have data available. Students who receive their degree from the political science program earn around $35,379 for their early career.
More information about a degree in political science & government from University of California - Santa Barbara
Located in the midsize city of Santa Clara, SCU is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population. A Best Colleges rank of #50 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means SCU is a great university overall.
There were about 102 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at SCU in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the political science & government degree program at Santa Clara University get $18,340 more than the typical graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.
More information about a degree in political science & government from Santa Clara University