2025 Best International Studies Schools in California
11
Colleges in California
1,305
International Studies Degrees Awarded
$39,900
Avg Early-Career Salary
International Studies is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #100 most popular degree program in the country. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.
For its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for international studies students pursuing a degree. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,305 degrees in international studies annually.
Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings
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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
The international studies program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for International Studies rankings. We derive our Best Overall International Studies School rankings by rolling up our degree-level rankings after weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each school.
You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.
Pick Your International Studies Degree Level
The international studies 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 the Best International Studies Schools in California.
You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.
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.
More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data 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.
Best Schools for International Studies in California
Although we recommend filtering by degree level first, you can view the list below to see which schools give the educational experience for the international studies degree levels they offer.
10 Top California Schools in International Studies
University of California - Santa Barbara is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a degree in international studies. Located in the suburb of Santa Barbara, UCSB is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #47 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UCSB is a great university overall.
There were about 192 international studies students who graduated with this degree at UCSB in the most recent data year. Graduates who receive their degree from the international studies program make about $33,553 in the first couple years of working.
More information about a degree in international studies from University of California - Santa Barbara
It is difficult to beat University of California - Irvine if you want to pursue a degree in international studies. UC Irvine is a fairly large public university located in the city of Irvine. This university ranks 12th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were roughly 149 international studies students who graduated with this degree at UC Irvine in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the international studies program state that they receive average early career wages of $33,388.
More information about a degree in international studies from University of California - Irvine
Bachelors
Degree Type
BS in Business Administration - International Business
Program Name
Earn the degree that can help you drive business beyond borders with a specialized online international business degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
More information about a degree in BS in Business Administration - International Business from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Any student who is interested in international studies has to take a look at University of California - Berkeley. UC Berkeley is a fairly large public university located in the city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.
There were about 122 international studies students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available. Those international studies students who get their degree from University of California - Berkeley earn $6,760 more than the standard international studies graduate.
More information about a degree in international studies from University of California - Berkeley
Any student who is interested in international studies needs to look into University of California - San Diego. UCSD is a very large public university located in the large city of La Jolla. A Best Colleges rank of #49 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means UCSD is a great university overall.
There were approximately 537 international studies students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the international studies major at University of California - San Diego make $5,268 above the average college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.
More information about a degree in international studies from University of California - San Diego
Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #28 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means UCLA is a great university overall.
There were roughly 41 international studies students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the international studies program state that they receive average early career wages of $39,082.
More information about a degree in international studies from University of California - Los Angeles
USC is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #13 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.
There were about 38 international studies students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year. Those international studies students who get their degree from University of Southern California earn $18,971 more than the typical international studies grad.
More information about a degree in international studies from University of Southern California
Bachelor's Degree
Highest Degree Type
19th
Most Popular In CA
SDSU is a fairly large public university located in the large city of San Diego. This university ranks 25th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 3 international studies students who graduated with this degree at SDSU in the most recent data year.
More information about a degree in international studies from San Diego State University
Masters
Degree Type
MBA in International Business
Program Name
Earn the MBA that fits your borderless business goals – and your budget.
More information about a degree in MBA in International Business from Southern New Hampshire UniversityRelated Programs
Located in the large suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine is a private not-for-profit university with a moderately-sized student population. This university ranks 11th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were about 21 international studies students who graduated with this degree at Pepperdine in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, international studies degree recipients typically make around $36,920 at the beginning of their careers.
More information about a degree in international studies from Pepperdine University
CSUMB is a moderately-sized public university located in the midsize suburb of Seaside. This university ranks 72nd out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were approximately 10 international studies students who graduated with this degree at CSUMB in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the international studies program state that they receive average early career income of $34,246.
More information about a degree in international studies from California State University - Monterey Bay
CSULB is a very large public university located in the large city of Long Beach. This university ranks 36th out of 161 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.
There were roughly 30 international studies students who graduated with this degree at CSULB in the most recent data year. Students who graduate with their degree from the international studies program report average early career income of $31,589.
More information about a degree in international studies from California State University - Long Beach