by our College Data Analytics TeamFor its 2025 ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools in California to determine which ones were the best for urban studies students pursuing a bachelor's degree. Combined, these schools handed out 217 bachelor's degrees in urban studies to qualified students.
What's on this page: * Our Methodology
The urban studies bachelor's degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality urban studies program can vary widely even among the top schools. 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 good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To account for this we include a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host 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 complete ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for urban studies students working on their bachelor's degree.
The urban studies 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 Urban Studies Bachelor's Degree Schools in California.
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.
Below you'll see a list of the best colleges and universities for pursuing a bachelor's degree in urban studies.
University of Southern California is a great option for individuals pursuing a bachelor's degree in urban studies. Located in the city of Los Angeles, USC is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in urban studies from University of Southern California
University of California - Berkeley is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a bachelor's degree in urban studies. Located in the city of Berkeley, UC Berkeley is a public university with a very large student population.
Those urban studies students who get their bachelor's degree from University of California - Berkeley earn $12,878 more than the average urban studies graduate.
More information about a bachelor’s in urban studies from University of California - Berkeley
University of California - San Diego is one of the best schools in the country for getting a bachelor's degree in urban studies. Located in the large city of La Jolla, UCSD is a public university with a very large student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the urban studies program report average early career wages of $37,074.
More information about a bachelor’s in urban studies from University of California - San Diego
University of California - Irvine is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting a bachelor's degree in urban studies. Located in the large city of Irvine, UC Irvine is a public university with a very large student population.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the urban studies program state that they receive average early career wages of $34,385.
More information about a bachelor’s in urban studies from University of California - Irvine
Located in the city of San Diego, SDSU is a public university with a very large student population.More information about a bachelor’s in urban studies from San Diego State University
CSUN is a very large public university located in the city of Northridge.
Students who graduate with their bachelor's from the urban studies program report average early career wages of $46,826.
More information about a bachelor’s in urban studies from California State University - NorthridgeExplore all the Best Urban Studies Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.
| State | Colleges | Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 226 | 37 |
| Oregon | 185 | 25 |
| Nevada | 129 | 35 |
One of 13 majors within the Social Sciences area of study, Urban Studies has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Urban Studies/Affairs | 217 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Sociology | 8,090 |
| Economics | 6,016 |
| Political Science & Government | 5,663 |
| Anthropology | 1,513 |
| International Relations & National Security | 736 |
| General Social Sciences | 525 |
| Geography & Cartography | 506 |
| Other Social Sciences | 320 |
| Archeology | 15 |
