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2023 Most Focused Master’s Degree Colleges for Social Sciences in California

53 Ranked Colleges
1,900 Degrees Awarded
$52,274 Avg Salary
Schools for a Master's Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Social Sciences is one of the most popular majors in the nation, ranking 5th of all the majors we analyze. In 2020-2021, 205,984 degrees were awarded to students with this major. In 2019-2020, social sciences graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $36,262 and had an average of $23,306 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 51,680 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $35,887 and $17,995 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,900 social sciences graduates with average earnings and debt of $62,974 and $0 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California” ranking looked at 53 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in social sciences. That schools that top this list have a program in social sciences in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 Social Sciences 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 when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

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

The colleges and universities below are the best for california master’s degree social sciences students.

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

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

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pardee RAND Graduate School. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California. Pardee RAND Graduate School is a small school located in Santa Monica, California that handed out 15 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

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.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Pardee RAND Graduate School

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. Located in Monterey, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 46 diplomas to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 1 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 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey Social Sciences Report

3
Naval Postgraduate School crest
Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Naval Postgraduate School. The school came in at #3 for the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California. Naval Postgraduate School is a small school located in Monterey, California that handed out 193 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Naval Postgraduate School Social Sciences Report

4
Claremont Graduate University crest
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, California

Out of the 53 schools in the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Claremont Graduate University landed the #4 spot on the list. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 29 diplomas to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. 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 Social Sciences at Claremont Graduate University

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 21 diplomas to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate 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 undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% 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 Social Sciences at The Chicago School Los Angeles Campus

6
Azusa Pacific crest
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California

Azusa Pacific University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California ranking. Located in Azusa, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 58 degrees to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad 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 undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Azusa Pacific University

7
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

With a ranking of #7, Stanford University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 75 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at Stanford

8
USFCA crest
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

With a ranking of #8, University of San Francisco did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. USFCA is a fairly large school located in San Francisco, California that handed out 51 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at University of San Francisco

9
USC crest
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California ranked #9 on this year’s Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. USC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 252 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. 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 undergrad 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 Social Sciences at University of Southern California

10

With a ranking of #10, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 149 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UCSD Social Sciences Report

11
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California

University of Redlands came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California ranking. University of Redlands is a small school located in Redlands, California that handed out 22 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad 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 Social Sciences at University of Redlands

12
Humboldt State University crest
Humboldt State University
Arcata, California

With a ranking of #12, Humboldt State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. Humboldt State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Arcata, California. It awarded 23 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Humboldt State University Social Sciences Report

13

University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California ranking. UC Santa Cruz is a public institution located in Santa Cruz, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 68 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Read full report on Social Sciences at UC Santa Cruz

14
CLU crest
California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, California

With a ranking of #14, California Lutheran University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. Located in Thousand Oaks, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 14 degrees to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California Lutheran University Social Sciences Report

15

With a ranking of #15, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. UCLA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 140 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full UCLA Social Sciences Report

16
SDSU crest
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 Social Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #16. SDSU is a large school located in San Diego, California that handed out 84 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Social Sciences at San Diego State University

17

California State University - Los Angeles came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California ranking. Cal State LA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 53 masters’s social sciences degrees 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 full report on Social Sciences at California State University - Los Angeles

18

University of California - Irvine did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #18. University of California - Irvine is located in Irvine, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 81 masters’s social sciences degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 Social Sciences at University of California - Irvine

19

With a ranking of #19, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. UCSB is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 43 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Social Sciences at UCSB

20

With a ranking of #20, California State University - Chico did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. Chico State is a public institution located in Chico, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 24 masters’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% 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 Social Sciences at Chico State

21
Alliant crest
Alliant International University
San Diego, California

Alliant International University landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California ranking. Located in San Diego, California, this small private for-profit school awarded 5 diplomas to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate 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. The low undergrad 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 Social Sciences at Alliant

22

With a ranking of #22, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California list. California State University - Long Beach is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 48 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Social Sciences at CSULB

23

University of California - Berkeley came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Master’s Highly Focused on Social Sciences Major in California ranking. UC Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 60 masters’s social sciences degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Read full report on Social Sciences at UC Berkeley

24
25
SFSU crest
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 Social Sciences Major in California ranking, coming in at #25. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school awarded 30 diplomas to qualified masters’s social sciences students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.3% 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 SFSU Social Sciences Report

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