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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations in California (With Aid)

18 Ranked Colleges
852 Degrees Awarded
$24,800 Avg Net Price*
Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor's in California For Those Getting Aid

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 13,616 people earned their degree in international relations, making the major the 54th most popular in the United States.

Across California, there were 1,137 international relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 852 international relations graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 18 colleges that offer a degree in international relations. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great international relations programs and cost less that schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the international relations program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid.

Top 18 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations in California (With Aid)

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid. Stanford University is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, Stanford has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Stanford University is $11,496 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Stanford International Relations Report

#2

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, California
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Claremont McKenna College landed the #2 spot on the list. Claremont McKenna is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 21 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Claremont McKenna not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $22,161 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend Claremont McKenna College.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on International Relations at Claremont McKenna College

#13 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Riverside. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. UCR is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 79 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

UCR also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #13. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Riverside is $12,871 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations at UCR

#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Davis. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 169 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $14,669 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%.

Read full report on International Relations at University of California - Davis

#5

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#15 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Francisco State University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 77 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #15 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,113 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend San Francisco State University.

Read more about International Relations at SFSU

#6

Pomona College

Claremont, California
#3 in overall quality

Pomona College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Pomona College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 24 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Pomona did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Pomona College is $17,458 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Pomona International Relations Report

#16 in overall quality

California State University - Chico did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. California State University - Chico is a fairly large school located in Chico, California that handed out 33 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Chico State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,017 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend California State University - Chico.

The student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Chico International Relations Report

#8

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#4 in overall quality

University of Southern California did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #8. University of Southern California is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 194 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

USC also took the #4 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $29,528 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend USC.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations at University of Southern California

#9

University of Redlands

Redlands, California
#14 in overall quality

University of Redlands came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. This small school is located in Redlands, California, and it awarded 12 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Redlands, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $27,958 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid per year to attend University of Redlands.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%.

Read more about International Relations at University of Redlands

#10

Mills College

Oakland, California
#17 in overall quality

Mills College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Mills College is a small school located in Oakland, California that handed out 4 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid list, Mills has also earned the #17 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Mills College is $22,202 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on International Relations at Mills College

#11

University of the Pacific

Stockton, California
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #11, University of the Pacific did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Pacific is located in Stockton, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Pacific also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. It costs about $28,929 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid per year to attend Pacific.

The school has an impressive 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 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Pacific International Relations Report

#12

California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, California
#18 in overall quality

California Lutheran University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Thousand Oaks, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 7 students in 2019-2020.

CLU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend CLU is $26,489 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full CLU International Relations Report

#13

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, California
#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Azusa Pacific University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Azusa Pacific University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Azusa, California. It awarded 1 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Azusa Pacific, the school also landed the #19 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Azusa Pacific University is $26,293 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Azusa Pacific University International Relations Report

#14

University of San Diego

San Diego, California
#10 in overall quality

University of San Diego did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #14. San Diego, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s international relations degrees to 39 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USD, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for USD is $32,460 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The 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 more about International Relations at USD

#15

Occidental College

Los Angeles, California
#7 in overall quality

Occidental College landed the #15 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Occidental College is a small school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 39 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Oxy, the school also landed the #7 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Oxy is $29,638 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The 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 Relations at Occidental College

#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #16, Saint Mary’s College of California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. SMC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Moraga, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 2 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SMC also took the #11 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Saint Mary’s College of California is $34,392 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The low student loan default rate of 3.6% 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%.

Read full report on International Relations at Saint Mary’s College of California

#17

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#8 in overall quality

Loyola Marymount University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Loyola Marymount University is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 34 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

Loyola Marymount not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola Marymount University is $42,861 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students with aid.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low 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 Loyola Marymount University International Relations Report

#18

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California
#9 in overall quality

University of San Francisco did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. USFCA is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 57 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

USFCA also took the #9 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend USFCA is $36,424 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students with aid.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full University of San Francisco International Relations Report

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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 RepubFan12.

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