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2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science in California

72 Ranked Colleges
5,534 Degrees Awarded
$38,500 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Political Science is the 13th most popular major in the country with 45,964 degrees awarded in 2021-2022.

Across California, there were 7,757 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 5,534 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,904 and $19,503 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California” ranking, we looked at 72 colleges that offer a degree in political science. That schools that top this list have a program in political science in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

See our ranking methodology to learn more.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

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 by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California

The colleges and universities below are the best for california bachelor’s degree poly sci students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Political Science in California

1
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Scripps College
Claremont, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Scripps College. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California. Scripps College is a small school located in Claremont, California that handed out 24 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science at Scripps

2
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Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Claremont McKenna College. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California. Claremont McKenna is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 46 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about Political Science at Claremont McKenna

3
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Occidental College
Los Angeles, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Occidental College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California list. Occidental College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 22 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Oxy Political Science Report

4
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Pomona College
Claremont, California

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Pomona College. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California. Pomona is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 25 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science at Pomona College

5
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Pitzer College
Claremont, California

Out of the 72 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California that were part of this year’s ranking, Pitzer College landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Claremont, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Pitzer Political Science Report

6

With a ranking of #6, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California list. University of California - Los Angeles is a large school located in Los Angeles, California that handed out 671 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at UCLA

7

With a ranking of #7, University of California - Merced did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California list. This medium-sized school is located in Merced, California, and it awarded 116 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at University of California - Merced

8

University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California list. UCSB is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 257 bachelors’s degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 Political Science at University of California - Santa Barbara

9
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Whittier College
Whittier, California

Whittier College landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking. Whittier College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Whittier, California. It awarded 18 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Whittier College Political Science Report

10
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Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, California

With a ranking of #10, Santa Clara University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California list. SCU is located in Santa Clara, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 72 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified 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 undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at Santa Clara University

11

University of California - Berkeley came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking. UC Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 464 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 Political Science at UC Berkeley

12

University of California - Riverside ranked #12 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California list. University of California - Riverside is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 249 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.8% 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 Political Science at UCR

13

University of California - San Diego came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking. University of California - San Diego is a large school located in La Jolla, California that handed out 316 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full UCSD Political Science Report

14

University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking, coming in at #14. UC Santa Cruz is a fairly large school located in Santa Cruz, California that handed out 172 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

With a freshman retention rate of 89%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Political Science at UC Santa Cruz

15
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Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

Loyola Marymount University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking. Loyola Marymount University is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 91 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Loyola Marymount University Political Science Report

16
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Westmont College
Santa Barbara, California

Westmont College did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking, coming in at #16. Westmont is located in Santa Barbara, California and, has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 12 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Political Science at Westmont

17

University of California - Irvine came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking. This large school is located in Irvine, California, and it awarded 235 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Political Science at University of California - Irvine

18
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Chapman University
Orange, California

Chapman University came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking. Chapman is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Orange, California. It awarded 75 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read more about Political Science at Chapman University

19

With a ranking of #19, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California list. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 264 students in 2021-2022.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Political Science at University of California - Davis

20
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California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, California

California Lutheran University landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking. Thousand Oaks, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 24 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% 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 Political Science at CLU

21

California State University - Channel Islands landed the #21 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking. CSUCI is located in Camarillo, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 36 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

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 Political Science at California State University - Channel Islands

22

With a ranking of #22, California State University - San Marcos did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California list. Located in San Marcos, California, this fairly large public school awarded 65 degrees to qualified bachelors’s poly sci students in 2021-2022.

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%.

Full California State University - San Marcos Political Science Report

23
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University of San Diego
San Diego, California

University of San Diego landed the #23 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s poly sci degrees to 66 students in 2021-2022.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% 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 92%.

Full USD Political Science Report

24

Saint Mary’s College of California did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking, coming in at #24. SMC is a small school located in Moraga, California that handed out 25 bachelors’s poly sci degrees in 2021-2022.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 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 88%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.6% 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 Political Science at Saint Mary’s College of California

25
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Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

Sonoma State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Poly Sci Major in California ranking, coming in at #25. SSU is located in Rohnert Park, California and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 42 bachelors’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% 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 SSU Political Science Report

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