by our College Data Analytics Team
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
In 2020-2021, 6,966 people earned their degree in area studies, making the major the 115th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, area studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $33,127 and had an average of $20,927 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 880 area studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $29,544 and $17,829 respectively.
This year’s “Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California” ranking looked at 62 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in area studies. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have one of the most popular area studies programs in the United States.
For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California” list to help you make the college decision.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.
The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California”.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Coastline Community College. The school came in at #1 for the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California. Coastline Community College is located in Fountain Valley, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 107 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Read full report on Area Studies at Coastline Community College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California list. UC Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 105 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. 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%.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #3 for the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California. UCLA is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 103 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad 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 more about Area Studies at University of California - Los Angeles
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California. Cal State Fullerton is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 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.
Full California State University - Fullerton Area Studies Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California. This large school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 48 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.4%, 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%.
Read full report on Area Studies at California State University - Long Beach
Stanford University ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California list. Stanford is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 43 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
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. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking, coming in at #7. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 38 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad 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 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of California - Santa Barbara
University of Southern California ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 37 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read more about Area Studies at University of Southern California
University of California - Irvine came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 35 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.
University of California - Davis came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 35 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
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 undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.
With a ranking of #11, University of San Francisco did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California list. This fairly large school is located in San Francisco, California, and it awarded 31 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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%.
Citrus College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking, coming in at #12. Citrus College is a medium-sized public school situated in Glendora, California. It awarded 23 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
University of California - San Diego ranked #13 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California list. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 22 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. 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%.
Read full report on Area Studies at University of California - San Diego
University of California - Riverside came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking. Riverside, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking, coming in at #15. California State University - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 19 ’s area studies 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 more about Area Studies at California State University - Los Angeles
Scripps College ranked #16 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California list. Scripps is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 17 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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%. 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.
San Diego State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking, coming in at #17. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 13 students in 2020-2021.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. 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%.
California State University - Chico came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking. Chico State is a public institution located in Chico, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 11 ’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%.
Full California State University - Chico Area Studies Report
Pepperdine University landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking. Pepperdine is a fairly large school located in Malibu, California that handed out 11 ’s area studies 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 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
With a ranking of #18, Santa Ana College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California list. SAC is located in Santa Ana, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 11 ’s area studies degrees to qualified students.
Occidental College did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Los Angeles, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 9 degrees to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. 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.
California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Sacramento, California, this large public school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified ’s area studies students in 2020-2021.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.9% 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%.
Full California State University - Sacramento Area Studies Report
California State University - Northridge came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking. CSUN is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 6 ’s area studies degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full California State University - Northridge Area Studies Report
Santa Rosa Junior College ranked #23 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California list. Santa Rosa, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s area studies degrees to 6 students in 2020-2021.
Azusa Pacific University ranked #25 on this year’s Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California list. Azusa Pacific is a private not-for-profit institution located in Azusa, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 5 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Area Studies at Azusa Pacific University
University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #25 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Area Studies Major in California ranking. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school handed out 5 degrees to qualified ’s area studies 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 2.9% 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 our data sources and methodologies