Find Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Find Schools Near

2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations in California

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

When it comes to choosing a college, students have a lot of options - but not all of them are good. 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 International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.

International Relations is the 54th most popular major in the country with 13,616 degrees awarded in 2019-2020.

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.

This year’s “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking looked at 19 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in international relations. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality international relations programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the international relations program at the school. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The international relations school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California”.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California

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

Top 19 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for International Relations in California

#5 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Davis. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. University of California - Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 169 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UC Davis is $14,669 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Read more about International Relations at University of California - Davis

#16 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Chico. It ranked #2 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. This fairly large school is located in Chico, California, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students list, Chico State has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Chico State is $15,017 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students.

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%.

Full Chico State International Relations Report

#3

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 #3 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. SFSU is a public institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 77 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SFSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend SFSU is $15,113 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students.

Full San Francisco State University International Relations Report

#13 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Riverside. It ranked #4 on our 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. UCR is a public institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 79 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCR, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Riverside is $12,871 for california bachelor’s degree international relations 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UCR International Relations Report

#5

Mills College

Oakland, California
#17 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Mills College. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. Mills College is located in Oakland, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 4 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

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

The 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 low student loan default rate of 2.3% 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 Mills College International Relations Report

#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Middlebury Institute is a small school located in Monterey, 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 list, Middlebury Institute has also earned the #6 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 1 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on International Relations at Middlebury Institute

#7

Azusa Pacific University

Azusa, California
#19 in overall quality

Azusa Pacific University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #7. Azusa Pacific is located in Azusa, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

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.

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%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Azusa Pacific University International Relations Report

#8

California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks, California
#18 in overall quality

California Lutheran University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #8. CLU is located in Thousand Oaks, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 7 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

CLU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #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.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about International Relations at CLU

#9

University of the Pacific

Stockton, California
#12 in overall quality

University of the Pacific ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. This medium-sized school is located in Stockton, California, and it awarded 14 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Pacific also took the #12 spot in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Pacific is $28,929 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of the Pacific International Relations Report

#10

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#8 in overall quality

Loyola Marymount University landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Loyola Marymount is a medium-sized school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 34 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Marymount also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Loyola Marymount University is $42,861 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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%.

Read full report on International Relations at Loyola Marymount

#11 in overall quality

Saint Mary’s College of California landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Saint Mary’s College of California 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend SMC is $34,392 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

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%.

Full Saint Mary’s College of California International Relations Report

#12

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 ranking, coming in at #12. This medium-sized school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 39 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students list, USD has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $32,460 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend USD.

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%.

Read full report on International Relations at USD

#13

University of Redlands

Redlands, California
#14 in overall quality

University of Redlands came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. University of Redlands is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Redlands, California. It awarded 12 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree international relations students list, University of Redlands has also earned the #14 rank in our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Redlands is $27,958 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations at University of Redlands

#14

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California
#9 in overall quality

University of San Francisco came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This fairly large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 57 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

USFCA also made our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. It costs about $36,424 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend USFCA.

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%.

Read more about International Relations at USFCA

#15

Pomona College

Claremont, California
#3 in overall quality

Pomona College came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Pomona is located in Claremont, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 24 bachelors’s international relations degrees to qualified students.

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.

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

Read more about International Relations at Pomona College

#16

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#1 in overall quality

Stanford University landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This fairly large school is located in Stanford, California, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

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

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The student-to-faculty ratio of 4 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 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%.

Read more about International Relations at Stanford

#17

Claremont McKenna College

Claremont, California
#2 in overall quality

Claremont McKenna College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Claremont McKenna is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 21 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Claremont McKenna did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Claremont McKenna College is $22,161 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Full Claremont McKenna College International Relations Report

#18

Occidental College

Los Angeles, California
#7 in overall quality

With a ranking of #18, Occidental College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Oxy is a small school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 39 bachelors’s international relations degrees in 2019-2020.

Oxy did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Occidental College is $29,638 for california bachelor’s degree international relations students.

The 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 school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on International Relations at Oxy

#19

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#4 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value International Relations Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. USC 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 did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best International Relations Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $29,528 for California Bachelor’s Degree International Relations students per year to attend USC.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about International Relations at USC

Switch to a Different Ranking Method

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.

Featured Political and Social Sciences Schools

Find Schools Near You