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2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California

24 Ranked Colleges
1,545 Degrees Awarded
$18,000 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor's in California

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 20,201 people earned their degree in philosophy and religious studies, making the major the 29th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, philosophy and religious studies graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $30,177 and had an average of $24,197 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 2,272 philosophy and religious studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $30,164 and $23,185 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,545 philosophy and religious studies graduates with average earnings and debt of $37,907 and $21,546 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” ranking analyzed 24 colleges that offered a degree in philosophy and religious studies. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent philosophy and religious studies programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the philosophy and religious studies program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Philosophy & Religious 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 Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California” list to help you make the college decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students.

Top 24 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Philosophy & Religious Studies in California

#8 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Long Beach. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. Located in Long Beach, California, this large public school handed out 39 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students list, CSULB has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend CSULB is $9,622 for California Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy & Religious Studies students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default 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.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at California State University - Long Beach

#15 in overall quality

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, California State University - Northridge landed the #2 spot on the list. CSUN is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 47 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

CSUN also took the #15 spot in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $8,414 for California Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy & Religious Studies students.

The low student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at CSUN

#3

University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, California
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 24 schools in the Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #3 spot on the list. University of California - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 143 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UCLA also took the #2 spot in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend UCLA is $14,279 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at UCLA

#4

University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California
#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Santa Barbara. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. This large school is located in Santa Barbara, California, and it awarded 168 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UCSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,884 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students per year to attend University of California - Santa Barbara.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at UCSB

#5

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California
#14 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend San Francisco State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California. SFSU is located in San Francisco, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 47 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees to qualified students.

SFSU also took the #14 spot in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for SFSU is $15,113 for California Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy & Religious Studies students.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at San Francisco State University

#6

San Jose State University

San Jose, California
#10 in overall quality

San Jose State University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. San Jose State is a large school located in San Jose, California that handed out 14 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students list, San Jose State has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $14,928 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students per year to attend San Jose State.

The low student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full San Jose State Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

#5 in overall quality

University of California - Davis ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. University of California - Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 68 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Davis did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Davis is $14,669 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students.

The low student loan default rate of 1.9% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%.

Full University of California - Davis Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

#7 in overall quality

University of California - Irvine ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 44 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Irvine not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UC Irvine is $14,783 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low 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%.

Full UC Irvine Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

#23 in overall quality

California State University - Fresno came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 27 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Fresno State also made our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #23. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Fresno is $5,464 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at Fresno State

#19 in overall quality

California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #10. Located in Fullerton, California, this large public school awarded 28 degrees to qualified bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students list, Cal State Fullerton has also earned the #19 rank in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Cal State Fullerton is $7,991 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students.

The low student loan default rate of 2.7% 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 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full Cal State Fullerton Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

#11

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California
#4 in overall quality

University of California - Berkeley came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 97 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. It costs about $15,329 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at UC Berkeley

#12

University of California - Riverside

Riverside, California
#9 in overall quality

University of California - Riverside came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 53 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

UCR also made our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #9. The yearly cost to attend UCR is $12,871 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The student loan default rate at the school is 2.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full University of California - Riverside Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

#13

San Diego State University

San Diego, California
#18 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. SDSU is a public institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

SDSU also took the #18 spot in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend San Diego State University is $14,788 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, 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.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at San Diego State University

#20 in overall quality

California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #14. Sacramento, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees to 46 students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Sac State, the school also landed the #20 spot in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $9,979 for California Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy & Religious Studies students per year to attend California State University - Sacramento.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full California State University - Sacramento Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Pomona, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees to 23 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students list, Cal Poly Pomona has also earned the #21 rank in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is $12,734 for California Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy & Religious Studies students.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Cal Poly Pomona Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

#24 in overall quality

California State University - East Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #16. Cal State East Bay is a fairly large school located in Hayward, California that handed out 6 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students list, Cal State East Bay has also earned the #24 rank in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - East Bay is $11,116 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at California State University - East Bay

#17

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California
#16 in overall quality

University of California - Santa Cruz came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. University of California - Santa Cruz is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Cruz, California. It awarded 56 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students list, UC Santa Cruz has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $18,186 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students per year to attend University of California - Santa Cruz.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at University of California - Santa Cruz

#17 in overall quality

Vanguard University of Southern California ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Vanguard is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Costa Mesa, California. It awarded 21 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Vanguard also made our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. The yearly cost to attend Vanguard is $20,051 for California Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy & Religious Studies students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at Vanguard

#19

California Baptist University

Riverside, California
#22 in overall quality

California Baptist University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking, coming in at #19. California Baptist University is a fairly large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 23 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Cal Baptist not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California Baptist University is $24,707 for California Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy & Religious Studies students.

The low student loan default rate of 4.6% 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 Philosophy & Religious Studies at Cal Baptist

#20

Biola University

La Mirada, California
#11 in overall quality

With a ranking of #20, Biola University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. La Mirada, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

Biola also made our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #11. It costs about $31,859 for california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students per year to attend Biola.

The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at Biola

#21

Westmont College

Santa Barbara, California
#6 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, Westmont College did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Westmont is a small school located in Santa Barbara, California that handed out 17 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Westmont not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Westmont College is $31,145 for California Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy & Religious Studies students.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.1%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Westmont Philosophy & Religious Studies Report

#22

Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, California
#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Loyola Marymount University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Loyola Marymount University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 17 bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees in 2019-2020.

Loyola Marymount did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for Loyola Marymount is $42,861 for California Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy & Religious Studies students.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low 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 full report on Philosophy & Religious Studies at Loyola Marymount University

#23

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, California
#13 in overall quality

University of San Francisco landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California ranking. San Francisco, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees to 15 students in 2019-2020.

USFCA did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of San Francisco is $36,424 for California Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy & Religious Studies students.

The student loan default rate at the school is 2.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at USFCA

#24

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California
#1 in overall quality

With a ranking of #24, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Philosophy & Religious Studies Schools for a Bachelor’s in California list. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s philosophy and religious studies degrees to 60 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our california bachelor’s degree philosophy & religious studies students list, USC has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Philosophy & Religious Studies Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for USC is $29,528 for California Bachelor’s Degree Philosophy & Religious Studies students.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The student loan default rate at the school is 1.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Philosophy & Religious Studies at University of Southern California

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Notes and References

References

  • 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 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

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