2026 Best Value International Economics Schools in California
[International Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/international-economics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong international economics education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for international economics students.
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2026 Best Value International Economics Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in international economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value International Economics Schools
For return on investment in international economics, no school beat University Of California San Diego this year. Set in the city of La Jolla, University Of California San Diego is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,788 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $47,676. Typical student debt for international economics graduates is $15,000. Soon after graduation, international economics degree recipients from University Of California San Diego generally make around $51,192. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 27%.
University Of California Los Angeles came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value international economics schools. University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles. Students from in state pay about $14,233 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $46,121. International Economics graduates carry a median of $15,000 in student loans. Early-career international economics graduates make about $63,833. That is a strong return on a $15,000 median debt. University Of California Los Angeles admits about 9% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in international economics will find it at University Of California Santa Cruz, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Santa Cruz, University Of California Santa Cruz is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,035 in tuition and fees, compared with $46,923 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $18,017 to complete the international economics program here. Early-career international economics graduates make about $50,518. Set against $18,017 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 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.
