Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in California

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 $75-$110k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

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 $75-$110k” ranking looked at 13 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in area studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent area studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the area studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k.

Top 13 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in California

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 32 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

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 are $55,011, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Stanford Area Studies Report

#2

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 29 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Area Studies at UCLA

#12 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Los Angeles. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. California State University - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 15 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k list, Cal State LA has also earned the #12 rank 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 Cal State LA are $17,723.

Read more about Area Studies at Cal State LA

#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k. Cal State 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.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k list, Cal State Fullerton has also earned the #11 rank 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.

Full Cal State Fullerton Area Studies Report

#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 $75-$110k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 9 degrees to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Berkeley, the school also landed the #4 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Area Studies at UC Berkeley

#8 in overall quality

California State University - Long Beach ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 6 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 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 California State University - Long Beach are $17,784.

Read more about Area Studies at California State University - Long Beach

#9 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #7. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 2 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 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 University of California - Riverside are $28,686.

Read more about Area Studies at University of California - Riverside

#6 in overall quality

University of California - San Diego did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #8. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 3 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSD also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #6. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Area Studies at UCSD

With a ranking of #9, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of California - Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california master’s degree area studies students whose families make $75-$110k list, UC Davis has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Davis are $28,700, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Area Studies at UC Davis

#10

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#10 in overall quality

San Diego State University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking. San Diego State University is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 2 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU also took the #10 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Diego State University are $18,658, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Area Studies at SDSU

#11

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#7 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k list. University of California - Santa Barbara is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 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 $75-$110k list, UCSB has also earned the #7 rank 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 UCSB are $28,670.

Full University of California - Santa Barbara Area Studies Report

#12

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 $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #12. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 5 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

USC also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Southern California are $48,715, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Area Studies at University of Southern California

#13

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California
#5 in overall quality

University of San Francisco did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Making $75-$110k ranking, coming in at #13. USFCA is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 18 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.

USFCA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. 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 more about 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.

Credits

Featured Political and Social Sciences Schools

Find Schools Near You