2026 Best Value Other Economics Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in other economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Other Economics Schools
Leading the list is University Of California San Diego, our #1 best value for other economics in California. University Of California San Diego is a very large public school located in the city of La Jolla. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,788, while out-of-state students pay about $47,676. Typical student debt for other economics graduates is $15,000. Other Economics graduates of University Of California San Diego earn a median of $51,192 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,000 median debt. University Of California San Diego admits about 27% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of California Irvine earned it the #2 place for other economics. Located in the city of Irvine, University Of California Irvine is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $14,752 in tuition and fees, compared with $46,640 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for other economics graduates is $15,499. Other Economics graduates of University Of California Irvine earn a median of $50,958 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,499 median debt. University Of California Irvine admits about 29% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of California Riverside one of the best values for other economics. University Of California Riverside is a very large public school located in the city of Riverside. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,636, while out-of-state students pay about $46,524. Students borrow a median of $18,500 to complete the other economics program here. Other Economics graduates of University Of California Riverside earn a median of $37,149 early in their careers. Set against $18,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of California Riverside admits about 76% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of California Santa Cruz earned it the #4 place for other economics. University Of California Santa Cruz is a very large public school located in the city of Santa Cruz. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,035, while out-of-state students pay about $46,923. Other Economics graduates carry a median of $18,017 in student loans. Soon after graduation, other economics degree recipients from University Of California Santa Cruz generally make around $40,920. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 66%.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[Other Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/economics-other/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
