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Best International Studies Schools in California

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2023 Best International Studies Schools in California

16 Colleges
$34,635 Avg Salary
$16,885 Avg Student Debt

Finding the Best International Studies School for You

International Studies is the #68 most popular major in California with 1,569 degrees and certificates awarded in 2020-2021.

It's not easy to decide which program to enroll in when you have so many options available. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Alternatively, you may choose a trade school that prepares you to enter the workforce with knowledge in a specific field.

The Best International Studies Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 16 schools in California to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

2023 Best International Studies Schools in California

Check out the international studies programs at these schools if you want to get the best education that money can buy.

Top 10 Best International Studies Schools

Our analysis found University of California - Berkeley to be the best school for international studies students who want to pursue a degree in California. UC Berkeley is a very large public school located in the city of Berkeley.

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The excellent programs at University of Southern California helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best international studies schools in California. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit college with a fairly large student population.

Full International Studies at University of Southern California Report

The excellent programs at University of California - San Diego helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best international studies schools in California. Located in the large city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public school with a very large student population.

International Studies majors at UCSD take out an average of $15,500 in student loans while working on their egree. When it comes time to repay the loan, graduates who are on a 10-year repayment plan pay an average monthly payment of $247.

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Out of the 16 schools in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the # 4 spot on the list. UCLA is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Los Angeles.

On average, international studies graduates from UCLA take out $12,000 in student loans while working on their degree.

Full International Studies at University of California - Los Angeles Report

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best International Studies Schools in California list. UCSB is a very large public school located in the medium-sized suburb of Santa Barbara.

After completing their degree, international studies graduates from UCSB carry an average student debtload of $14,370. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $295, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

Read full report on International Studies at University of California - Santa Barbara

University of California - Irvine came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best International Studies Schools in California ranking. UC Irvine is a fairly large public school located in the large city of Irvine.

While working on their degree, international studies majors at UC Irvine accumulate an average of around $16,336 in student debt. The average monthly payment of a loan this size is about $171, assuming that the borrower is on a 10-year repayment plan.

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San Jose State University ranked #7 on this year’s Best International Studies Schools in California list. San Jose State is a very large public school located in the city of San Jose.

Full International Studies at San Jose State University Report

#8

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA

Pepperdine University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best schools for international studies students. It came in at #8 on the list. Located in the suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population.

The average amount in student loans that international studies majors at Pepperdine take out is $25,733.

Read full report on International Studies at Pepperdine University

#9

National University

La Jolla, CA

National University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best International Studies Schools in California ranking. Located in the large city of La Jolla, National University is a private not-for-profit school with a fairly large student population.

Read full report on International Studies at National University

California State University - Monterey Bay landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best international studies programs. Located in the midsize suburb of Seaside, CSUMB is a public college with a moderately-sized student population.

After completing their degree, international studies graduates from CSUMB carry an average student debtload of $14,892.

Full International Studies at California State University - Monterey Bay Report

Best International Studies Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best International Studies Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Degrees Awarded
Washington 89
Oregon 166
Nevada 1
Hawaii 17
Alaska 8

International Studies is one of 44 different types of programs to choose from.

Related Major Annual Graduates
Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 34,975
Biological & Physical Science 30,075
Interdisciplinary Studies 9,074
Nutrition Science 5,330
Behavioral Science 4,169

Notes and References

*These averages are for the top 16 schools only.

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • 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 the rest 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).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Yerpo.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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