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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Studies in California (With Aid)

16 Ranked Colleges
1,596 Degrees Awarded
$18,100 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Getting Aid

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 7,874 people earned their degree in international studies, making the major the 95th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, international studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $33,355 and had an average of $22,904 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 1,655 international studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,388 and $20,926 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,596 international studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 16 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in international studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent international 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 international studies program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Studies in California (With Aid)

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Irvine landed the #1 spot on the list. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 194 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #5 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $14,783 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. 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%.

Full University of California - Irvine International Studies Report

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international studies degrees to 631 students in 2019-2020.

UCSD also took the #3 spot in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UCSD is $14,232 for california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on International Studies at UCSD

#3

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 #3 on our 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 43 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Los Angeles is $14,279 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students with aid.

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 1.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

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

#4

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid. University of California - Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 366 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

UCSB also took the #4 spot in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Santa Barbara is $15,884 for california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low 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%.

Read full report on International Studies at UCSB

#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Berkeley. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid. UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 64 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid list, UC Berkeley has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Berkeley is $15,329 for california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.7% 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 more about International Studies at UC Berkeley

With a ranking of #6, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 47 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

CSULB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $9,622 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full California State University - Long Beach International Studies Report

University of California - Riverside came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of California - Riverside is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid list, UCR has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCR is $12,871 for california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at University of California - Riverside

#8

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#11 in overall quality

San Diego State University landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international studies degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $14,788 for california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Full San Diego State University International Studies Report

#9

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#8 in overall quality

San Jose State University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. San Jose State is a public institution located in San Jose, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

San Jose State also made our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. The estimated yearly cost for San Jose State University is $14,928 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students with aid.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Studies at San Jose State University

California State University - Monterey Bay landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. CSUMB is a medium-sized public school situated in Seaside, California. It awarded 25 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at CSUMB, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $12,212 for california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid per year to attend California State University - Monterey Bay.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 5.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Studies at CSUMB

#11

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California
#16 in overall quality

Humboldt State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #11. Humboldt State University is located in Arcata, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

Humboldt State University also took the #16 spot in our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,692 for california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid per year to attend Humboldt State University.

Read full report on International Studies at Humboldt State University

#12

National University

La Jolla, California
#13 in overall quality

National University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. National University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 2 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

National University also made our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13.

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 International Studies at National University

#13

California Baptist University

Riverside, California
#12 in overall quality

California Baptist University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Riverside, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2019-2020.

Cal Baptist also made our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $24,707 for california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid per year to attend California Baptist University.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 full report on International Studies at Cal Baptist

#14

Concordia University, Irvine

Irvine, California
#15 in overall quality

Concordia University, Irvine came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Concordia University, Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

Concordia University, Irvine also made our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #15. It costs about $26,143 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students with aid per year to attend Concordia University, Irvine.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Concordia University, Irvine

#15

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#7 in overall quality

University of Southern California landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 6 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2019-2020.

USC also made our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #7. The estimated yearly cost for USC is $29,528 for california bachelor’s degree international studies students with aid.

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 student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on International Studies at USC

#16

Pepperdine University

Malibu, California

Pepperdine University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value International Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Pepperdine is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Malibu, California. It awarded 53 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Pepperdine did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best International Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $36,996 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Studies students with aid per year to attend Pepperdine University.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Studies at Pepperdine

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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.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Yerpo.

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