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2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

18 Ranked Colleges
2,522 Degrees Awarded
$13,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Making $0-$30k

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 Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2019-2020, 38,020 people earned their degree in public health, making the major the 27th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, public health graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $41,740 and had an average of $35,895 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 4,542 public health graduates with average earnings and debt of $44,916 and $39,058 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 2,522 public health graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 18 colleges that offer a degree in public health. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great public health programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the public health 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

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Public Health (Income $0-$30k) in California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 228 bachelors’s public health degrees to qualified students.

UC Berkeley also took the #1 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $8,392 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UC Berkeley Public Health Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Los Angeles. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. California State University - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 195 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State LA, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Cal State LA is $1,379 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Health at Cal State LA

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. University of California - Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 501 bachelors’s public health degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC Irvine has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Irvine is $9,558 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national 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 University of California - Irvine Public Health Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Northridge. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Northridge, California, this large public school awarded 358 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public health students in 2019-2020.

CSUN also took the #7 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Northridge is $5,945 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Health at California State University - Northridge

#12 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fullerton. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school awarded 100 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public health students in 2019-2020.

Cal State Fullerton also made our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $4,291 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California State University - Fullerton.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 89%.

Full Cal State Fullerton Public Health Report

With a ranking of #6, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 250 bachelors’s public health degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCSD, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $9,280 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - San Diego Public Health Report

#7

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#8 in overall quality

San Diego State University landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school handed out 85 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public health students in 2019-2020.

SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for SDSU is $8,870 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Health at San Diego State University

California State University - Fresno came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Fresno, California, this large public school awarded 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public health students in 2019-2020.

Fresno State also made our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fresno is $3,264 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 4.7% 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 students.

Read more about Public Health at Fresno State

#9

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#6 in overall quality

San Jose State University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 221 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k list, San Jose State has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State University is $10,940 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 Public Health at San Jose State

#10

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k 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 104 bachelors’s public health degrees to qualified students.

USC also made our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $14,668 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Southern California.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Public Health at USC

With a ranking of #11, University of California - Merced did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of California - Merced is a medium-sized school located in Merced, California that handed out 122 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k list, UC Merced has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Merced is $10,782 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Health at UC Merced

#11 in overall quality

California State University - Chico landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Chico State is a fairly large public school situated in Chico, California. It awarded 59 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.

Chico State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $10,260 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Chico State.

The low student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%.

Full Chico State Public Health Report

#13

National University

La Jolla, California

National University landed the #13 spot on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This fairly large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 75 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.

National University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Health at National University

#14

Santa Clara University

Santa Clara, California

With a ranking of #14, Santa Clara University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Santa Clara University is located in Santa Clara, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 53 bachelors’s public health degrees to qualified students.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SCU, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Santa Clara University is $22,356 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low student loan default rate of 1.0% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Public Health at Santa Clara University

#15

California Baptist University

Riverside, California
#10 in overall quality

California Baptist University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cal Baptist is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 37 bachelors’s public health degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k list, Cal Baptist has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California Baptist University is $20,277 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Health at California Baptist University

#16

Dominican University of California

San Rafael, California

Dominican University of California ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Dominican University of California is a small school located in San Rafael, California that handed out 15 bachelors’s public health degrees in 2019-2020.

DUofC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Dominican University of California is $27,906 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low 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%.

Full DUofC Public Health Report

#17

Chapman University

Orange, California

With a ranking of #17, Chapman University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Orange, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 84 degrees to qualified bachelors’s public health students in 2019-2020.

Chapman did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #14 on our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Chapman University is $33,219 for California Bachelor’s Degree Public Health students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Public Health at Chapman University

#18

Fremont College

Cerritos, California

With a ranking of #18, Fremont College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Public Health Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Cerritos, California, this small private for-profit school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s public health students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k list, Fremont College has also earned the #18 rank in our “Best Public Health Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $22,151 for california bachelor’s degree public health students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Fremont College.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Health at Fremont College

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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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