by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for economics students pursuing a master's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 574 master's degrees in economics to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Your choice of economics for getting your master's degree school matters. Important measures of a quality economics program can vary widely even among the top schools. Below we explain some of the most important factors to consider before making your choice:
The overall quality of a master's degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we consider a college's overall Best Colleges for a Master's Degree ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with their master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. After all, your master's degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.
Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best colleges for economics students working on their master's degree.
Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Economics Master's Degree Schools in California ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a master's degree in economics.
University of California - Los Angeles is a great choice for individuals interested in a master's degree in economics. UCLA is a very large public university located in the large city of Los Angeles.More information about a master’s in economics from University of California - Los Angeles
It is difficult to beat University of Southern California if you want to pursue a master's degree in economics. Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in economics from University of Southern California
University of California - Santa Barbara is a great choice for students pursuing a master's degree in economics. UCSB is a fairly large public university located in the suburb of Santa Barbara.More information about a master’s in economics from University of California - Santa Barbara
It is hard to beat University of California - Davis if you wish to pursue a master's degree in economics. UC Davis is a fairly large public university located in the small suburb of Davis.More information about a master’s in economics from University of California - Davis
Located in the large city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in economics from University of California - Irvine
Located in the city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in economics from University of California - San Diego
Located in the city of Santa Cruz, UC Santa Cruz is a public university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in economics from University of California - Santa Cruz
Located in the city of San Francisco, USFCA is a private not-for-profit university with a medium-sized student population.More information about a master’s in economics from University of San Francisco
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is a very large public university located in the small suburb of San Luis Obispo.More information about a master’s in economics from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
Located in the city of San Francisco, SFSU is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a master’s in economics from San Francisco State University
Explore all the Best Economics Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 183 | 24 |
| Oregon | 158 | 44 |
| Nevada | 105 | 14 |
| Hawaii | 85 | 6 |
| Alaska | 52 | 1 |
Economics is one of 13 different types of Social Sciences programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Econometrics & Quantitative Economics | 502 |
| General Economics | 46 |
| Other Economics | 13 |
| International Economics | 12 |
| Applied Economics | 1 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| International Relations & National Security | 438 |
| Geography & Cartography | 162 |
| Sociology | 152 |
| Political Science & Government | 117 |
| Anthropology | 98 |
| Urban Studies | 45 |
| General Social Sciences | 41 |
| Demography & Population Studies | 29 |
| Other Social Sciences | 20 |
| Archeology | 6 |