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2025 Best International Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in California

11 Colleges in California
1,128 Bachelor's Degrees
$35,782 Avg Early-Career Salary
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

Choosing a Great International Studies School for Your Bachelor's Degree

Best International Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in California 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.

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

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More International Studies Rankings Other Ranking Categories

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.

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

1
143 Annual Graduates
$33,553 Median Starting Salary
$19,994 Median Student Debt

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

2
128 Annual Graduates
$33,388 Median Starting Salary
$17,710 Median Student Debt

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

3

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

4
511 Annual Graduates
$45,168 Median Starting Salary
$30,483 Median Student Debt

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

5

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

6
11 Annual Graduates

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

7
18 Annual Graduates

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

8
18 Annual Graduates
$36,920 Median Starting Salary
$54,553 Median Student Debt

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

9

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

10

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

Best International Studies Colleges in the Far Western US Region

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

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Washington 226 74
Oregon 185 128
Nevada 129 0
Hawaii 112 17
Alaska 75 8

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International Studies is one of 51 different types of Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies programs to choose from.

International Studies Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
International/Globalization Studies 1,128

Majors Similar to International Studies

Related Major Annual Graduates
Cognitive Science 1,786
Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 916
Nutrition Science 876
Human Biology 719
Mathematics & Computer Science 597
Behavioral Science 259
Marine Science 127
Natural Sciences 122
Interdisciplinary Studies 115
Science, Technology & Society 51

Notes and References

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