College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Best Value Colleges for Ethnic Studies (Income $0-$30k) in California

20 Ranked Colleges
2,708 Degrees Awarded
$9,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. At College Factual, we’re committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our “Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking.

In 2020-2021, 9,231 people earned their degree in ethnic studies, making the major the 99th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, ethnic studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $30,818 and had an average of $22,901 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 2,708 ethnic studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $28,622 and $17,755 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 20 colleges that offered a degree in ethnic studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent ethnic 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 ethnic studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Ethnic Studies Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The ethnic studies 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 “Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k”.

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. 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 Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 20 Best Value Colleges for Ethnic Studies (Income $0-$30k) in California

1
Stanford crest
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 Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 31 diplomas to qualified ’s ethnic studies students in 2020-2021.

Stanford not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford is $1,233 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Stanford University Ethnic Studies Report

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large public school handed out 358 diplomas to qualified ’s ethnic studies students in 2020-2021.

UCLA also took the #2 spot in our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,037 for California Ethnic Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCLA.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Ethnic Studies at University of California - Los Angeles

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Berkeley, California, this large public school awarded 129 diplomas to qualified ’s ethnic studies students in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list. It costs about $8,450 for California Ethnic Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UC Berkeley.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Ethnic Studies at University of California - Berkeley

4

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #4 spot on the list. This large school is located in Davis, California, and it awarded 207 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $10,006 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about Ethnic Studies at University of California - Davis

5

Out of the 20 schools in the Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 114 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSB, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCSB is $10,568 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Ethnic Studies at UCSB

6

California State University - Long Beach landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. CSULB is a large public school situated in Long Beach, California. It awarded 98 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

CSULB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for CSULB is $6,663 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full California State University - Long Beach Ethnic Studies Report

7
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

With a ranking of #7, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 49 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

SDSU also took the #6 spot in our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SDSU is $7,169 for California Ethnic Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Ethnic Studies at SDSU

8

California State University - Northridge landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 213 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

CSUN also made our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list, coming in at #14. The estimated yearly cost for CSUN is $6,266 for California Ethnic Studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Ethnic Studies at CSUN

9

University of California - Irvine landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 53 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC Irvine has also earned the #9 rank in our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Irvine is $6,540 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UC Irvine Ethnic Studies Report

10

University of California - San Diego did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #10. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s ethnic studies degrees to 36 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSD is $9,823 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Ethnic Studies at University of California - San Diego

11

California State University - Fullerton landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 40 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal State Fullerton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list. It costs about $4,590 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Cal State Fullerton.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full Cal State Fullerton Ethnic Studies Report

12

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Cruz, California. It awarded 166 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Santa Cruz also made our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. It costs about $11,038 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Ethnic Studies at University of California - Santa Cruz

13
SFSU crest
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. San Francisco State University is a large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 128 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

SFSU also took the #8 spot in our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Francisco State University is $10,705 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full SFSU Ethnic Studies Report

14

University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #14. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 42 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

UCR also made our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend UCR is $6,810 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Ethnic Studies at UCR

15

California State University - Sacramento landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. California State University - Sacramento is located in Sacramento, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 107 ’s ethnic studies degrees to qualified students.

Sac State also made our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $8,163 for California Ethnic Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Sac State.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Ethnic Studies at California State University - Sacramento

16

With a ranking of #16, California State University - Chico did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State University - Chico is located in Chico, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 15 ’s ethnic studies degrees to qualified students.

Chico State also made our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list, coming in at #18. The yearly cost to attend Chico State is $11,754 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Chico State Ethnic Studies Report

17
SSU crest
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

Sonoma State University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Rohnert Park, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 41 degrees to qualified ’s ethnic studies students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SSU, the school also landed the #16 spot in our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SSU is $12,803 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full SSU Ethnic Studies Report

18

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a large public school situated in Pomona, California. It awarded 28 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Cal Poly Pomona also made our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list, coming in at #20. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Poly Pomona is $10,349 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Ethnic Studies at Cal Poly Pomona

19
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Arcata, California, and it awarded 15 ’s ethnic studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Humboldt State University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list. It costs about $11,473 for california ethnic studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Humboldt State University.

Read more about Ethnic Studies at Humboldt State University

20
Loyola Marymount crest
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Ethnic Studies Schools in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Loyola Marymount is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 15 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Loyola Marymount not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Ethnic Studies Schools in California” list. It costs about $32,730 for California Ethnic Studies students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Loyola Marymount University.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Ethnic Studies at Loyola Marymount

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options