2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in California
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California” ranking - to help you make that 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” ranking analyzed 12 colleges that offered a degree 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.
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.
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More Ways to Rank Area Studies Schools
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” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.
Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California
The colleges and universities below are the best for california master’s degree area studies students.
Top 12 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Area Studies in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s area studies degrees to 29 students in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree area studies students list, UCLA has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. 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 University of California - Los Angeles
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 6 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
CSULB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #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
Out of the 12 schools in the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #3 spot on the list. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 9 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Berkeley also took 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 University of California - Berkeley
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - San Diego. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California. UCSD is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 3 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
UCSD not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of California - San Diego
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Santa Barbara. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California list. UCSB is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 3 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.
UCSB also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSB are $28,670, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of California - Santa Barbara
San Diego State University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. San Diego State University is a large public school situated in San Diego, 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 list, SDSU has also earned the #10 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 SDSU are $18,658.
California State University - Fullerton landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Cal State Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 6 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal State Fullerton did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 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 Cal State Fullerton are $17,892.
Read full report on Area Studies at California State University - Fullerton
University of California - Riverside landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. University of California - Riverside is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 masters’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
UCR also made our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCR are $28,686, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California State University - Los Angeles ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 15 diplomas to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State LA, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal State LA are $17,723, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of San Francisco came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 18 degrees to qualified masters’s area studies students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at USFCA, the school also landed the #5 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 USFCA are $26,710.
University of Southern California ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California list. University of Southern California is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 5 masters’s area studies degrees in 2019-2020.
USC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Area Studies Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at USC are $48,715, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Area Studies at University of Southern California
With a ranking of #12, Stanford University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Area Studies Schools for a Master’s in California list. Stanford University 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 University are $55,011, but some majors have different tuition rates.
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Best Area Studies Master's Degree Schools in California
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $0-$30k) in California
Area Studies students with family income less than $30k in California
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $48-$75k) in California
Area Studies students with family income $48-$75k in California
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income Over $110k) in California
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Area Studies students in California
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $30-$48k) in California
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Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies (Income $75-$110k) in California
Area Studies students with family income $75-$110k in California
Best Value Master's Degree Colleges for Area Studies in California
Area Studies students in California
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
- Credit for the banner image above goes to Karl Udo Gerth.
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