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2022 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Economics in California

11 Ranked Colleges
177 Degrees Awarded
$33,600 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 48,831 people earned their degree in economics, making the major the 18th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,295 and had an average of $21,978 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 9,937 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $47,367 and $16,994 respectively. At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 177 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $71,544 and $133,402 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California” ranking analyzed 11 colleges that offered a degree in economics. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great economics programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the economics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California.

Top 11 Best Value Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Economics in California

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - San Diego landed the #1 spot on the list. UCSD is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 doctorate’s economics degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california doctor’s degree economics students list, UCSD has also earned the #2 rank in our “Best Economics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Economics at UCSD

#2

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#4 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Los Angeles. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California list. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 23 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA also made our “Best Economics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #4. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131.

Read more about Economics at University of California - Los Angeles

#6 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Davis landed the #3 spot on the list. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 20 doctorate’s economics degrees to qualified students.

UC Davis not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Economics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Davis are $28,700, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Economics at UC Davis

#4

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#7 in overall quality

Out of the 11 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Barbara landed the #4 spot on the list. UCSB is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 doctorate’s economics degrees to qualified students.

UCSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Economics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSB are $28,670, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Economics at University of California - Santa Barbara

#3 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 Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California. University of California - Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 28 doctorate’s economics degrees to qualified students.

UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Economics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347.

Read more about Economics at UC Berkeley

University of California - Irvine ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California list. UC Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 13 doctorate’s economics degrees to qualified students.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Economics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UC Irvine are $28,456.

Full UC Irvine Economics Report

#10 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside landed the #7 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California ranking. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 10 doctorate’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

UCR also made our “Best Economics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #10. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Riverside are $28,686.

Read full report on Economics at University of California - Riverside

#8

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California
#11 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California ranking, coming in at #8. University of California - Santa Cruz is a public institution located in Santa Cruz, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 4 doctorate’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Santa Cruz not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #11 on our “Best Economics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Santa Cruz are $28,952, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full University of California - Santa Cruz Economics Report

#9

Claremont Graduate University

Claremont, California
#8 in overall quality

Claremont Graduate University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California ranking. Claremont Graduate University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 11 doctorate’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.

Claremont Graduate University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Economics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Claremont Graduate University are $36,380.

Full Claremont Graduate University Economics Report

#10

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#5 in overall quality

University of Southern California came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s economics degrees to 4 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Economics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Southern California are $48,715, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Economics at University of Southern California

#11

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

Stanford University ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Doctorate in California list. Stanford University is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 doctorate’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Stanford also took the #1 spot in our “Best Economics Doctor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford are $55,011.

Full Stanford Economics Report

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 pixabay.

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