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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics in California

30 Ranked Colleges
532 Degrees Awarded
$58,064 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Economics Major in California

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California” ranking - to help you make that decision.

In 2020-2021, 49,055 people earned their degree in economics, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $48,736 and had an average of $22,046 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 10,520 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $48,538 and $16,731 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 532 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $62,974 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California” ranking analyzed 30 colleges that offered a degree in economics. That schools that top this list have a program in economics in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California”.

Top 25 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics in California

1
Pardee RAND Graduate School crest
Pardee RAND Graduate School
Santa Monica, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pardee RAND Graduate School. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California list. Pardee RAND Graduate School is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Monica, California. It awarded 15 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on Economics at Pardee RAND Graduate School

2

Out of the 30 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles landed the #2 spot on the list. The Chicago School Los Angeles Campus is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 21 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at The Chicago School Los Angeles Campus

3
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Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Claremont Graduate University. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California. Claremont Graduate University is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 full report on Economics at Claremont Graduate University

4
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California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, California

Out of the 30 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California Lutheran University landed the #4 spot on the list. This small school is located in Thousand Oaks, California, and it awarded 14 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 full report on Economics at CLU

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Cruz. The school came in at #5 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school awarded 57 diplomas to qualified masters’s economics students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. 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%.

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

6
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University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

University of San Francisco landed the #6 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking. University of San Francisco is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 30 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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 Economics at USFCA

7
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University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 118 degrees to qualified masters’s economics students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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 1.3% 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 Southern California Economics Report

8

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 72 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.

Full UCLA Economics Report

9

California Institute of Technology came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking. California Institute of Technology is a private not-for-profit institution located in Pasadena, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Caltech Economics Report

10
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Mills College
Oakland, California

Mills College landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking. This small school is located in Oakland, California, and it awarded 1 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Mills College Economics Report

11

California State University - East Bay did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking, coming in at #11. Hayward, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - East Bay Economics Report

12

University of California - San Diego ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California list. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 27 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The undergrad 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 Economics at University of California - San Diego

13

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is located in San Luis Obispo, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 13 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Economics at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

14

University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking. UCSB is a large school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 17 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Read full report on Economics at UCSB

15
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Stanford University
Stanford, California

With a ranking of #15, Stanford University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California list. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 9 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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%.

Full Stanford Economics Report

16
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San Diego State University
San Diego, California

San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking, coming in at #16. Located in San Diego, California, this large public school handed out 19 diplomas to qualified masters’s economics students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full SDSU Economics Report

17

University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking, coming in at #17. UC Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 21 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Economics at UC Davis

18

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 12 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at California State University - Los Angeles

19

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking, coming in at #19. Cal Poly Pomona is a large public school situated in Pomona, California. It awarded 9 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Economics at Cal Poly Pomona

20
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Chapman University
Orange, California

Chapman University ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California list. Chapman University is a medium-sized school located in Orange, California that handed out 3 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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 Chapman University Economics Report

21

University of California - Berkeley ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California list. University of California - Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 12 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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 University of California - Berkeley Economics Report

22
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San Jose State University
San Jose, California

San Jose State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking. This large school is located in San Jose, California, and it awarded 8 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.

Read full report on Economics at San Jose State

23

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking, coming in at #23. Cal State Fullerton is a large school located in Fullerton, California that handed out 7 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Fullerton Economics Report

24

California State University - Sacramento landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking. Sac State is a large school located in Sacramento, California that handed out 5 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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 Sac State Economics Report

25
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San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Economics Major in California ranking, coming in at #25. This large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 4 masters’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Economics at SFSU

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