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2025 Best Political Science & Government Master's Degree Schools in California

4 Colleges in California
117 Master's Degrees
Political Science & Government is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #71 most popular master's degree program in the country. As a result, there are many college that offer the degree, making your choice of school a hard one.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 4 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best Political Science & Government Master's Degree Schools in California ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 117 master's degrees in political science & government to qualified students.

What's on this page: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Political Science & Government School for Your Master's Degree

Best Political Science & Government Master's Degree Schools in California The political science master'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. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.

A Great Overall School

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 take this into account we include 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.

Early-Career Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

Other Factors We Consider

The metrics below are just some of the other metrics that we use to determine our rankings.

Our complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for political science & government students working on their master's degree.

More Ways to Rank Political Science & Government Schools

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Political Science Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The political science 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 the Best Political Science & Government Master's Degree Schools in California.

Best Schools for Master’s Students to Study Political Science & Government in California

Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for political science & government students seeking a a master's degree.

Top California Schools for a Master's in Political Science

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
11 Annual Graduates

Stanford University is a good choice for students pursuing a master's degree in political science & government. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population.More information about a master’s in political science & government from Stanford University

2
18 Annual Graduates

University of California - Berkeley is a good decision for students pursuing a master's degree in political science & government. Located in the midsize city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a fairly large student population.More information about a master’s in political science & government from University of California - Berkeley

3
10 Annual Graduates

University of California - San Diego is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a master's degree in political science & government. 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 political science & government from University of California - San Diego

4
10 Annual Graduates

Any student who is interested in a master's degree in political science & government needs to take a look at San Francisco State University. 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 political science & government from San Francisco State University

Best Political Science & Government Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best Political Science & Government Schools in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Washington 183 17
Oregon 158 9
Nevada 105 7
Hawaii 85 5

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One of 13 majors within the Social Sciences area of study, Political Science & Government has other similar majors worth exploring.

Political Science Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
Political Science 117

Majors Similar to Political Science

Related Major Annual Graduates
Economics 574
International Relations & National Security 438
Geography & Cartography 162
Sociology 152
Anthropology 98
Urban Studies 45
General Social Sciences 41
Demography & Population Studies 29
Other Social Sciences 20
Archeology 6

Notes and References

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