2026 Best Value East Asian Studies Schools in California
[East Asian Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/east-asian-studies/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for east asian studies students.
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Featured East Asian Studies Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
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2026 Best Value East Asian Studies Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the east asian studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value East Asian Studies Schools
Our analysis ranked California State University Long Beach the best value for a degree in east asian studies in California. California State University Long Beach is a very large public school located in the city of Long Beach. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,374, with out-of-state students paying around $19,974. East Asian Studies graduates carry a median of $15,697 in student loans. Early-career east asian studies graduates make about $28,591. Set against $15,697 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 46%.
Stanford University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in east asian studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Stanford. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,910. East Asian Studies graduates carry a median of $10,492 in student loans. Soon after graduation, east asian studies degree recipients from Stanford University generally make around $100,827. Set against $10,492 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
Students looking for strong value in east asian studies will find it at University Of California Los Angeles, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,233, compared with $46,121 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,746 to complete the east asian studies program here. Soon after graduation, east asian studies degree recipients from University Of California Los Angeles generally make around $23,819. That is a strong return on a $17,746 median debt. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Davis is a great value for students pursuing a degree in east asian studies, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,804, while out-of-state students pay about $47,692. Typical student debt for east asian studies graduates is $14,167. Early-career east asian studies graduates make about $21,527. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Southern California came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value east asian studies schools. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. In-state tuition and fees average $71,647. East Asian Studies graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans. Early-career east asian studies graduates make about $75,677. Set against $15,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 10%.
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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
