by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 46 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for political science & government students pursuing a bachelor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 5,663 bachelor's degrees in political science & government to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Gain a solid understanding of American political history, the current political landscape, and the major political parties with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
The political science bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. This section explores some of the factors we include in our ranking and how much they vary depending on the school you select. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:
The overall quality of a bachelor's degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a combination of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving their bachelor's degree from the school. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their bachelor's degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.
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 political science & government students working on their bachelor's degree.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Political Science & Government Bachelor's Degree Schools in California list, to help you choose the best school for 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.
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Gain a solid understanding of American political history, the current political landscape, and the major political parties with this online bachelor's from Southern New Hampshire University.
Learn about the top ranked colleges and universities for political science & government students seeking a a bachelor's degree.
It is difficult to beat University of California - Los Angeles if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree in political science & government. UCLA is a very large public university located in the city of Los Angeles.
Bachelor's students who receive their degree from the political science program make about $34,392 in their early career salary.
More information about a bachelor’s in political science & government from University of California - Los Angeles
It's hard to beat University of California - Berkeley if you wish to pursue a bachelor's degree in political science & government. Located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a very large student population.
Those political science & government students who get their bachelor's degree from University of California - Berkeley make $9,210 more than the standard political science grad.
More information about a bachelor’s in political science & government from University of California - Berkeley
University of California - Davis is a great choice for students interested in a bachelor's degree in political science & government. UC Davis is a fairly large public university located in the small suburb of Davis.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the political science program state that they receive average early career earnings of $36,208.
More information about a bachelor’s in political science & government from University of California - Davis
Every student who is interested in a bachelor's degree in political science & government has to check out University of Southern California. Located in the large city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population.
Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the political science program earn around $38,063 for their early career.
More information about a bachelor’s in political science & government from University of Southern California
Located in the large suburb of Stanford, Stanford is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.
Bachelor's recipients from the political science & government degree program at Stanford University get $23,089 more than the typical college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.
More information about a bachelor’s in political science & government from Stanford University
UCSB is a very large public university located in the suburb of Santa Barbara.
Those political science & government students who get their bachelor's degree from University of California - Santa Barbara earn $3,196 more than the typical political science grad.
More information about a bachelor’s in political science & government from University of California - Santa Barbara
Located in the large city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Bachelor's graduates who receive their degree from the political science program earn an average of $31,976 in their early career salary.
More information about a bachelor’s in political science & government from University of California - Irvine
Located in the large city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the political science program state that they receive average early career earnings of $33,345.
More information about a bachelor’s in political science & government from University of California - San Diego
UCR is a very large public university located in the city of Riverside.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the political science program state that they receive average early career wages of $30,060.
More information about a bachelor’s in political science & government from University of California - Riverside
Located in the small city of Santa Cruz, UC Santa Cruz is a public university with a fairly large student population.
Soon after graduation, political science bachelor's recipients usually earn around $31,882 in the first five years of their career.
More information about a bachelor’s in political science & government from University of California - Santa CruzHere are some additional great schools for Political Science & Government students in the state of California that almost earned our Best Political Science & Government Bachelor's Degree Schools in California award.
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Santa Clara University | Santa Clara, CA |
| 12 | Claremont McKenna College | Claremont, CA |
| 13 | San Diego State University | San Diego, CA |
| 14 | San Francisco State University | San Francisco, CA |
| 15 | California State University - Long Beach | Long Beach, CA |
Explore all the Best Political Science & Government Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 226 | 957 |
| Oregon | 185 | 527 |
| Nevada | 129 | 196 |
| Hawaii | 112 | 132 |
| Alaska | 75 | 16 |
Political Science & Government is one of 13 different types of Social Sciences programs to choose from.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Political Science | 5,475 |
| Other Political Science & Government | 173 |
| Political Economy | 15 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Sociology | 8,090 |
| Economics | 6,016 |
| Anthropology | 1,513 |
| International Relations & National Security | 736 |
| General Social Sciences | 525 |
| Geography & Cartography | 506 |
| Other Social Sciences | 320 |
| Urban Studies | 217 |
| Archeology | 15 |
