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2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region

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Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

Public Policy is the 113th most popular major in the country with 6,430 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, public policy graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $49,451 and had an average of $21,866 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Far Western US region, there were 892 public policy graduates with average earnings and debt of $51,209 and $22,744 respectively.

This year’s “Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region” ranking looked at 31 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in public policy. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their public policy program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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The public policy 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 “Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region”.

In addition to College Factual’s rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest 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 Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region”.

Top 25 Most Focused Colleges for Public Policy in the Far Western US Region

1
Mills crest
Mills College
Oakland, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Mills College. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region list. Mills is located in Oakland, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 31 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at Mills

2
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Pomona College
Claremont, California

Out of the 31 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Pomona College landed the #2 spot on the list. Pomona is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 10 ’s 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 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Pomona College Public Policy Report

3
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California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, California

Out of the 31 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, California Lutheran University landed the #3 spot on the list. CLU is a small school located in Thousand Oaks, California that handed out 30 ’s public policy degrees 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%.

Read full report on Public Policy at California Lutheran University

4

Out of the 31 schools in the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Riverside landed the #4 spot on the list. University of California - Riverside is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 109 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, 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 91%.

Read full report on Public Policy at UCR

5
University of Redlands crest
University of Redlands
Redlands, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Redlands. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Redlands, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 18 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

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 University of Redlands Public Policy Report

6
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Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

Pepperdine University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Malibu, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 31 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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 Pepperdine Public Policy Report

7
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Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

With a ranking of #7, Claremont McKenna College did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region list. This small school is located in Claremont, California, and it awarded 4 ’s public policy 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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.

Read more about Public Policy at Claremont McKenna College

8

University of California - Los Angeles came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 131 students in 2020-2021.

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%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Public Policy at University of California - Los Angeles

9

University of Washington - Bothell Campus landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Bothell, Washington, this medium-sized public school handed out 18 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, 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 89%.

Full University of Washington - Bothell Campus Public Policy Report

10
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University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California

University of Southern California came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. USC is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 199 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, 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 undergraduate 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.

Read more about Public Policy at USC

11

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #11. University of California - Berkeley is a public institution located in Berkeley, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 114 ’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 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Public Policy at UC Berkeley

12
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Stanford University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Stanford University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Stanford, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 31 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. 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.

Full Stanford Public Policy Report

13

University of California - San Diego came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. UCSD is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 57 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. 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 more about Public Policy at UCSD

14
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

Oregon State University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. This large school is located in Corvallis, Oregon, and it awarded 25 ’s public policy degrees 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 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Policy at Oregon State University

15
Portland State University crest
Portland State University
Portland, Oregon

Portland State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Portland, Oregon is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s public policy degrees to 25 students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Public Policy at Portland State University

16
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Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, California

With a ranking of #16, Mount Saint Mary’s University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region list. This small school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 2 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Read full report on Public Policy at Mount Saint Mary’s University

17

California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo landed the #17 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is a large school located in San Luis Obispo, California that handed out 12 ’s public policy degrees 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 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Public Policy Report

18

With a ranking of #18, University of Nevada - Las Vegas did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, this large public school awarded 12 diplomas to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at University of Nevada - Las Vegas

19
Wazzu crest
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Washington State University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Wazzu is a public institution located in Pullman, Washington. The school has a large population, and it awarded 12 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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

Read more about Public Policy at Washington State University

20
Loma Linda University crest
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, California

Loma Linda University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Loma Linda University is located in Loma Linda, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2 ’s public policy degrees to qualified students.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 more about Public Policy at Loma Linda University

21

With a ranking of #21, University of California - Irvine did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region list. University of California - Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 14 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, 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 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at University of California - Irvine

22

University of California - San Francisco came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. University of California - San Francisco is a small public school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 1 ’s public policy 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. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 more about Public Policy at UCSF

23
CWU crest
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, Washington

With a ranking of #23, Central Washington University did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region list. This fairly large school is located in Ellensburg, Washington, and it awarded 2 ’s public policy degrees in 2020-2021.

Read more about Public Policy at Central Washington University

24
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University of the Pacific
Stockton, California

With a ranking of #24, University of the Pacific did quite well on the 2023 Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region list. University of the Pacific is located in Stockton, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1 ’s public policy degrees to qualified 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Public Policy at University of the Pacific

25
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Chapman University
Orange, California

Chapman University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Schools Highly Focused on Public Policy Major in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Orange, California, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1 degrees to qualified ’s public policy students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, 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 Public Policy at Chapman

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