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2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Studies in California

32 Ranked Colleges
1,510 Degrees Awarded
$32,988 Avg Salary
Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 7,368 people earned their degree in international studies, making the major the 100th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, international studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $34,198 and had an average of $21,594 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 1,569 international studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $34,635 and $16,885 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,510 international studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,566 and $21,995 respectively.

This year’s “Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 32 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in international studies. To top this list, a school must have a successful international studies program that graduates more students in the field than other colleges that offer the same major.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that 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. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s”.

1

Out of the 32 schools in the Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #1 spot on the 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 585 students in 2020-2021.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

2

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #2 for the Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s. University of California - Santa Barbara is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 290 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 UCSB International Studies Report

3

Out of the 32 schools in the Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Irvine landed the #3 spot on the list. UC Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 172 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

4

Out of the 32 schools in the Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #4 spot on the list. UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 128 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Studies at UC Berkeley

5
Pepperdine crest
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pepperdine University. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Pepperdine is a private not-for-profit institution located in Malibu, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 46 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 International Studies at Pepperdine University

6

California State University - Long Beach came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 44 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, 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 International Studies at California State University - Long Beach

7

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. UCLA is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about International Studies at UCLA

8

California State University Maritime Academy landed the #8 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Vallejo, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s international studies degrees to 30 students in 2020-2021.

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 full report on International Studies at Cal Maritime

9

University of California - Riverside landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 27 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 University of California - Riverside International Studies Report

10

California State University - Channel Islands came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. CSUCI is located in Camarillo, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 22 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at CSUCI

11
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

Humboldt State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. This medium-sized school is located in Arcata, California, and it awarded 17 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Humboldt State University International Studies Report

12

California State University - Monterey Bay ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Seaside, California, this medium-sized public school awarded 16 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full CSUMB International Studies Report

13

California State University - East Bay ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Cal State East Bay is a fairly large school located in Hayward, California that handed out 15 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at California State University - East Bay

14
San Jose State crest
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #14. San Jose State is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

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 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on International Studies at San Jose State University

15
Pacific crest
University of the Pacific
Stockton, California

University of the Pacific ranked #15 on this year’s Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stockton, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 9 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Pacific

16
SDSU crest
San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. San Diego State University is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 8 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.

Full San Diego State University International Studies Report

16

With a ranking of #16, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. California State University - San Marcos is located in San Marcos, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 8 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad 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%.

Read full report on International Studies at CSUSM

18
PLNU crest
Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, California

Point Loma Nazarene University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #18. Point Loma Nazarene University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 7 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at PLNU

19
SSU crest
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

With a ranking of #19, Sonoma State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s list. Sonoma State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Rohnert Park, California. It awarded 5 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read more about International Studies at Sonoma State University

20
Pitzer crest
Pitzer College
Claremont, California

Pitzer College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 4 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Pitzer College

20
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 4 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Southern California International Studies Report

22
PUC crest
Pacific Union College
Angwin, California

Pacific Union College landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Angwin, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

Full PUC International Studies Report

22
Cal Baptist crest
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

California Baptist University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. California Baptist University is located in Riverside, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3 bachelors’s international studies degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Studies at Cal Baptist

22
Whittier crest
Whittier College
Whittier, California

Whittier College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Whittier, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 3 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

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%.

Read full report on International Studies at Whittier

25

Concordia University, Irvine landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Concordia University, Irvine is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 2 bachelors’s international studies degrees in 2020-2021.

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%.

Full Concordia University, Irvine International Studies Report

25
La Sierra crest
La Sierra University
Riverside, California

La Sierra University landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Riverside, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 2 degrees to qualified bachelors’s international studies students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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 La Sierra

25

California State University - San Bernardino did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended International Studies Major in California for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. CSUSB is a public institution located in San Bernardino, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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%.

Read full report on International Studies at California State University - San Bernardino

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