2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics in California (With Aid)
Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking is part of that endeavor.
In 2019-2020, 48,831 people earned their degree in economics, making the major the 18th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, economics graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $47,295 and had an average of $21,978 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 9,937 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $47,367 and $16,994 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 457 economics graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.
For this year’s “Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, we looked at 23 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.
To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the economics program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.
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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 Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid” list to help you make the college decision.
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Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid.
Top 23 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Economics in California (With Aid)
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Los Angeles. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid. California State University - Los Angeles is a large public school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 23 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal State LA not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #20 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Los Angeles are $17,723, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Read more about Economics at California State University - Los Angeles
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 11 diplomas to qualified masters’s economics students in 2019-2020.
Stanford also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #1. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford are $55,011.
Out of the 23 schools in the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Los Angeles landed the #3 spot on the list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 68 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
UCLA also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #3. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCLA are $28,131, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California State University - Fullerton. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid. This large school is located in Fullerton, California, and it awarded 10 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Cal State Fullerton, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Fullerton are $17,892, but some majors have different tuition rates.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of California - Irvine. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid. UC Irvine is a large school located in Irvine, California that handed out 15 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Irvine did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #9 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Irvine are $28,456, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - San Diego came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. La Jolla, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 13 students in 2019-2020.
UCSD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCSD are $28,631, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Long Beach did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #7. California State University - Long Beach is located in Long Beach, California and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 8 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.
CSULB also took the #15 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at CSULB are $17,784, but some majors have different tuition rates.
University of California - Berkeley landed the #8 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 3 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
UC Berkeley did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #4 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347.
San Diego State University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s 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 masters’s economics degrees to 19 students in 2019-2020.
SDSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at SDSU are $18,658, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of California - Santa Barbara came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Santa Barbara, California, this large public school handed out 16 degrees to qualified masters’s economics students in 2019-2020.
UCSB did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Santa Barbara are $28,670, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #11, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. UCR is a large public school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 2 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree economics students with aid list, UCR has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UCR are $28,686, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of California - Davis ranked #12 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. University of California - Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 28 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UC Davis, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Davis are $28,700, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California State University - Sacramento did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #13. Sac State is a large school located in Sacramento, California that handed out 2 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
In addition to being on our california master’s degree economics students with aid list, Sac State has also earned the #0 rank in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - Sacramento are $18,356, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #14, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a large school located in Pomona, California that handed out 8 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal Poly Pomona also took the #21 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cal Poly Pomona are $18,377, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
California State University - East Bay did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #15. Cal State East Bay is a fairly large school located in Hayward, California that handed out 14 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal State East Bay did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #19 on our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at California State University - East Bay are $17,828, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Economics at California State University - East Bay
San Jose State University ranked #16 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in San Jose, California, this large public school awarded 12 degrees to qualified masters’s economics students in 2019-2020.
San Jose State also took the #17 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at San Jose State are $18,790, but some majors have different tuition rates.
San Francisco State University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #17. Located in San Francisco, California, this large public school awarded 5 degrees to qualified masters’s economics students in 2019-2020.
SFSU also took the #18 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at SFSU are $17,944, but some majors have different tuition rates.
With a ranking of #18, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. This large school is located in San Luis Obispo, California, and it awarded 9 masters’s economics degrees in 2019-2020.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. Average graduate tuition and fees at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo are $21,009, but some majors have different tuition rates.
Full California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo Economics Report
University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking, coming in at #19. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s economics degrees to 28 students in 2019-2020.
UC Santa Cruz also took the #11 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of California - Santa Cruz are $28,952, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
Read full report on Economics at University of California - Santa Cruz
With a ranking of #20, University of Southern California did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Located in Los Angeles, California, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 80 degrees to qualified masters’s economics students in 2019-2020.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #2 spot in our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at USC are $48,715, but some majors have different tuition rates.
California Lutheran University landed the #21 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in Thousand Oaks, California, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 8 diplomas to qualified masters’s economics students in 2019-2020.
CLU also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #16. Average graduate tuition and fees at CLU are $20,600, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.
University of San Francisco landed the #22 spot on the 2022 Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid ranking. Located in San Francisco, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 26 diplomas to qualified masters’s economics students in 2019-2020.
USFCA also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #5. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of San Francisco are $26,710.
Chapman University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Economics Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid list. Chapman University is located in Orange, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 masters’s economics degrees to qualified students.
Chapman also made our “Best Economics Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #0. Average graduate tuition and fees at Chapman are $35,105, but some majors have different tuition rates.
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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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