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2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k

13 Ranked Colleges
135 Degrees Awarded
$28,800 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master's in California For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Area Studies is the 106th most popular major in the country with 6,820 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,734 and had an average of $23,024 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 1,008 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,743 and $17,480 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 135 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking analyzed 13 colleges that offered a degree in area studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great area studies programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the area studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 13 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 32 students in 2019-2020.

Stanford also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford University are $55,011, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Area Studies at Stanford University

#2

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #2 spot on the list. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 29 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131.

Read more about Area Studies at UCLA

#4 in overall quality

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #3 spot on the list. UC Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 9 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Berkeley are $29,347, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UC Berkeley Area Studies Report

#12 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Los Angeles. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. Cal State LA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 15 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal State LA also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723.

Read more about Area Studies at California State University - Los Angeles

#11 in overall quality

Out of the 13 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Fullerton landed the #5 spot on the list. California State University - Fullerton is located in Fullerton, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State Fullerton, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fullerton are $17,892, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Area Studies at California State University - Fullerton

#8 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #6. California State University - Long Beach is a public institution located in Long Beach, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 6 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, CSULB has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSULB are $17,784, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full California State University - Long Beach Area Studies Report

#9 in overall quality

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - Riverside is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 2 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCR has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Riverside are $28,686, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Area Studies at UCR

#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #8, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of California - San Diego is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 3 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree area studies students whose families make $30-$48k list, UCSD has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UCSD Area Studies Report

#9

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#10 in overall quality

San Diego State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 2 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #10 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at SDSU are $18,658, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full San Diego State University Area Studies Report

#10

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#3 in overall quality

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #10. University of Southern California is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 5 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

USC also took the #3 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at USC are $48,715, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full USC Area Studies Report

#11

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#7 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #11. UCSB is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

UCSB also took the #7 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Santa Barbara are $28,670.

Read more about Area Studies at UCSB

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #12. University of California - Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Davis also took the #0 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Davis are $28,700, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of California - Davis

#13

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California
#5 in overall quality

University of San Francisco came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of San Francisco is located in San Francisco, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 18 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

USFCA also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of San Francisco are $26,710, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of San Francisco

Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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