2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid
49
Ranked Colleges
10,520
Degrees Awarded
$12,200
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. 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 Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2020-2021, 49,055 people earned their degree in economics, making the major the 19th most popular in the United States. In 2019-2020, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $48,736 and had an average of $22,046 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 10,520 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $48,538 and $16,731 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 49 colleges that offer a degree in economics. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent economics 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 economics program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
More Ways to Rank Economics Schools
The economics 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 “Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid”.
In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.
Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid.
Top 25 Best Value Colleges for Economics in California (With Aid)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Los Angeles. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s economics degrees to 884 students in 2020-2021.
UCLA also took the #4 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend University of California - Los Angeles is $15,023 for California Economics students with aid.
The low undergrad 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Full UCLA Economics Report
Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #2 spot on the list. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 116 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
Stanford also made our “Best Economics Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. It costs about $12,894 for California Economics students with aid per year to attend Stanford.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Economics at Stanford
Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #3 spot on the list. University of California - Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 808 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Berkeley, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $16,032 for california economics students with aid per year to attend UC Berkeley.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, 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 undergraduate students.
Read more about Economics at University of California - Berkeley
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - San Diego. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in La Jolla, California, this large public school awarded 480 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.
UCSD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #8 on our “Best Economics Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - San Diego is $15,240 for California Economics students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Economics at University of California - San Diego
Out of the 49 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Irvine landed the #5 spot on the list. This large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 490 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
UC Irvine also made our “Best Economics Schools in California” list, coming in at #10. The estimated yearly cost for University of California - Irvine is $12,209 for California Economics students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read full report on Economics at UC Irvine
University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Santa Barbara, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s economics degrees to 723 students in 2020-2021.
UCSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Economics Schools in California” list. It costs about $16,252 for california economics students with aid per year to attend University of California - Santa Barbara.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, 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 more about Economics at UCSB
University of California - Davis did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. University of California - Davis is a large school located in Davis, California that handed out 661 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $15,768 for California Economics students with aid per year to attend University of California - Davis.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Economics at University of California - Davis
University of California - Riverside ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Riverside, California, and it awarded 375 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best Economics Schools in California” list. It costs about $11,822 for California Economics students with aid per year to attend UCR.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full UCR Economics Report
Pomona College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Pomona College is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 46 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california economics students with aid list, Pomona has also earned the #7 rank in our “Best Economics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $17,949 for california economics students with aid per year to attend Pomona College.
The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 86%.
Full Pomona Economics Report
California State University - Fresno ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Fresno State is a large public school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 26 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
It costs about $6,230 for California Economics students with aid per year to attend California State University - Fresno.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Fresno State Economics Report
California State University - Los Angeles ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 31 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Los Angeles is $3,302 for California Economics students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 Economics at California State University - Los Angeles
California State University - Fullerton landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Cal State Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 80 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Fullerton is $8,003 for california economics students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The undergrad 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 Economics at Cal State Fullerton
Claremont McKenna College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s economics degrees to 116 students in 2020-2021.
Claremont McKenna also made our “Best Economics Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Claremont McKenna College is $21,993 for california economics students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.
Read full report on Economics at Claremont McKenna
With a ranking of #14, California State University - Sacramento did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. Sac State is a public institution located in Sacramento, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 214 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Sac State not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #23 on our “Best Economics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend California State University - Sacramento is $11,178 for california economics students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Sac State Economics Report
California State University - Long Beach landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. CSULB is a large school located in Long Beach, California that handed out 84 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - Long Beach is $10,054 for california economics students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full California State University - Long Beach Economics Report
With a ranking of #16, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. San Diego, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s economics degrees to 259 students in 2020-2021.
SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #17 on our “Best Economics Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend SDSU is $13,845 for california economics students with aid.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, 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 more about Economics at San Diego State University
California State University - Northridge did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. This large school is located in Northridge, California, and it awarded 95 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Northridge is $8,523 for California Economics students with aid.
The low undergrad 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%.
Read full report on Economics at California State University - Northridge
Santa Rosa Junior College did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #18. Santa Rosa Junior College is a fairly large school located in Santa Rosa, California that handed out 21 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend Santa Rosa Junior College is $6,585 for california economics students with aid.
Read more about Economics at Santa Rosa Junior College
California State University - East Bay came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. This fairly large school is located in Hayward, California, and it awarded 46 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for Cal State East Bay is $13,298 for california economics students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Economics at Cal State East Bay
California State University - Stanislaus landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Turlock, California, this fairly large public school awarded 15 diplomas to qualified ’s economics students in 2020-2021.
The yearly cost to attend California State University - Stanislaus is $6,566 for California Economics students with aid.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Economics at California State University - Stanislaus
University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. This fairly large school is located in Santa Cruz, California, and it awarded 219 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Santa Cruz, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UC Santa Cruz is $17,930 for california economics students with aid.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Economics at UC Santa Cruz
California State University - Bakersfield did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #22. California State University - Bakersfield is a public institution located in Bakersfield, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 14 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for CSUB is $7,454 for california economics students with aid.
Full California State University - Bakersfield Economics Report
California State University - San Bernardino ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. California State University - San Bernardino is a public institution located in San Bernardino, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 26 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for CSUSB is $8,107 for California Economics students with aid.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, 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 85%.
Read full report on Economics at California State University - San Bernardino
San Jose State University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid list. San Jose State is located in San Jose, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 126 ’s economics degrees to qualified students.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at San Jose State, the school also landed the #22 spot in our “Best Economics Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $16,542 for California Economics students with aid per year to attend San Jose State University.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Economics at San Jose State University
California State University - San Marcos did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Economics Schools in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #25. California State University - San Marcos is a fairly large school located in San Marcos, California that handed out 54 ’s economics degrees in 2020-2021.
The estimated yearly cost for California State University - San Marcos is $13,218 for California Economics students with aid.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% 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%.
Read more about Economics at California State University - San Marcos
