2025 Best International Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in California
If you plan on getting your bachelor's degree in
international studies, you won't be alone since the degree program is ranked #69 in the country in terms of popularity. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.
College Factual looked at 11 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best International Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in California ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 1,128 bachelor's degrees in international studies to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
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Featured International Studies Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Choosing a Great International Studies School for Your Bachelor's Degree
Your choice of international studies for getting your bachelor's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality international studies program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
Quality Overall Is Important
The overall quality of a bachelor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average Earnings
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
Other Factors We Consider
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
- Major Focus - How much a school focuses on international studies students vs. other majors.
- Major Demand - The number of international studies students who choose to seek a bachelor's degree at the school.
- Educational Resources - How many resources are allocated to students. These resources may include educational expenditures per student, number of students per instructor, and graduation rate among other things.
- Student Debt - How much debt international studies students go into to obtain their bachelor's degree and how well they are able to pay back that debt.
- Accreditation - Whether a school is regionally accredited and/or accredited by a recognized international studies related body.
Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for international studies students working on their bachelor's degree.
More Ways to Rank International Studies Schools
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 Best International Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in California list to help you make the college decision.
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.
When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.
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Featured International Studies Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Best Schools for Bachelor’s Students to Study International Studies in California
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in international studies.
10 Top California Schools for a Bachelor's in International Studies
It's difficult to beat University of California - Santa Barbara if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in international studies. UCSB is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Santa Barbara.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the international studies program state that they receive average early career earnings of $33,553.
More information about a bachelor’s in international studies from University of California - Santa Barbara
University of California - Irvine is one of the best schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in international studies. Located in the city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the international studies program state that they receive average early career earnings of $33,388.
More information about a bachelor’s in international studies from University of California - Irvine
It is difficult to beat University of California - Berkeley if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in international studies. Located in the city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a fairly large student population.
International Studies bachelor's degree recipients from University of California - Berkeley receive an earnings boost of about $10,878 over the average income of international studies majors.
More information about a bachelor’s in international studies from University of California - Berkeley
University of California - San Diego is a wonderful choice for individuals interested in a bachelor's degree in international studies. Located in the city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public university with a very large student population.
International Studies bachelor's degree recipients from University of California - San Diego get an earnings boost of about $9,386 above the average income of international studies graduates.
More information about a bachelor’s in international studies from University of California - San Diego
UCLA is a fairly large public university located in the large city of Los Angeles.
Those international studies students who get their bachelor's degree from University of California - Los Angeles earn $3,300 more than the standard international studies graduate.
More information about a bachelor’s in international studies from University of California - Los Angeles
Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in international studies from University of Southern California
Located in the city of San Diego, SDSU is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in international studies from San Diego State University
Pepperdine is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Malibu.
Soon after graduation, international studies bachelor's recipients usually earn an average of $36,920 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a bachelor’s in international studies from Pepperdine University
Located in the medium-sized suburb of Seaside, CSUMB is a public university with a moderately-sized student population.
After graduating, international studies bachelor's recipients generally earn about $34,246 in their early careers.
More information about a bachelor’s in international studies from California State University - Monterey Bay
Located in the large city of Long Beach, CSULB is a public university with a very large student population.
After graduating, international studies bachelor's recipients typically earn around $31,589 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a bachelor’s in international studies from California State University - Long Beach