There are lots of options to choose from today when trying to decide which school to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Bachelor's Degree Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Our analysis looked at 163 schools in the Far Western US Region to determine which ones have the best bachelor's degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
Higher Than Average Earnings
To determine the overall quality of a graduate school, one factor we look at is the average early-career salary of those receiving a bachelor's degree from the school. While bachelor's degree recipients from schools in the Far Western US Region earn an average starting salary of $39,720, those from the top 24 school on this list made an average of $54,400.
Starting Salary ( 19146 to 70530 )
Taking Out Student Loans
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that students take on while they are working on their bachelor's degree.
Upon graduation, bachelor's degree recipients from schools in the Far Western US Region have accumulated an average of $23,024 in student debt.
We consider this number in conjunction with average post-graduation earnings to gauge the difficulty bachelor's recipients will have paying back their loans.
More Ranking Factors That Are Important
We also analyze a number of other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt when coming up with our yearly Best Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking.
On a broad level, other factors that go into our rankings include such things as the demand of the school, the student body caliber, if the school has online options, and the educational resources provided by the school.
You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best bachelor's degree schools nearest you. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.
Top Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region
Our 2024 rankings named Stanford University the best school in the Far Western US Region in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Located in Stanford, California, the fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 1,511 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from Stanford make an average of $60,327 a year. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $9,768 after getting their degree.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Southern California. The school came in at #2 in the Far Western US Region on this year’s best bachelor’s degree schools ranking. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 5,745 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from USC make an average of $48,471 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $15,231 after getting their degree. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $489.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Claremont McKenna College. The school came in at #3 in the Far Western US Region on this year’s best bachelor’s degree schools ranking. Claremont McKenna is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 431 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $95,566 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $15,000 after getting their degree.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of California - Berkeley. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. UC Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 10,523 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley make an average of $48,418 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $14,272 after getting their degree. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $323.
A rank of #5 on our Best Bachelor’s Degree in the Far Western US Region list means University of California - Los Angeles is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Los Angeles, California, the large public school awarded 10,102 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UCLA go into careers with an average salary of $41,227 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $16,264 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $278 for a 10-year repayment plan.
California Institute of Technology came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Pasadena, California, and it awarded 227 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Caltech is $129,693 during the early years of their career.
Foothill College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Foothill College is a fairly large public school located in Los Altos Hills, California that handed out 72 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $20,196.
University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Seattle, Washington, the large public school awarded 9,451 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UW Seattle is $45,106 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $16,918. This translates to an average monthly payment of $303 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
University of California - San Diego came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. UCSD is a public institution located in La Jolla, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9,086 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from UCSD make an average of $39,824 a year. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $17,574 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $242.
Harvey Mudd College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Harvey Mudd College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Claremont, California. It awarded 197 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Harvey Mudd College make an average of $108,087 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $21,524. Average monthly loan payments are around $429 for a 10-year repayment plan.
With a ranking of #11, University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Santa Barbara, California, the large public school awarded 7,001 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UCSB is $38,377 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $17,158. Average monthly loan payments are around $287 for a 10-year repayment plan.
University of California - Davis came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. UC Davis is located in Davis, California and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9,846 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UC Davis is $37,679 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $14,114 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $281 for a 10-year repayment plan.
Santa Clara University landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Santa Clara, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,656 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from SCU make an average of $56,652 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $21,330. Average monthly loan payments are around $657 for a 10-year repayment plan.
University of California - Irvine ranked #14 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. UC Irvine is located in Irvine, California and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9,882 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UC Irvine make an average of $36,937 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $17,270. This translates to an average monthly payment of $209 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
Pomona College did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #15. Pomona is a private not-for-profit institution located in Claremont, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 395 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Pomona make an average of $88,888 per year during the early years of their career.
Golden Gate University - San Francisco ranked #16 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in San Francisco, California, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 140 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Golden Gate University - San Francisco make an average of $67,879 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $35,417 after getting their degree.
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #17 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, the large public school handed out 5,421 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo go into careers with an average salary of $50,611 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $19,298. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $377.
University of California - Santa Cruz did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #18. Santa Cruz, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 5,426 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from UC Santa Cruz make an average of $35,256 a year. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $19,628 in student loans. This translates to an average monthly payment of $285 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
With a ranking of #19, Loyola Marymount University did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Los Angeles, California, the fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 1,856 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $40,822 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $22,768 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $821 for a 10-year repayment plan.
San Diego State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. This large public school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 8,719 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $38,869 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $17,195. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $251.
University of Nevada - Las Vegas ranked #21 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Las Vegas, Nevada is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 4,885 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from UNLV make an average of $39,758 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $22,248. This translates to an average monthly payment of $246 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
University of Oregon landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. UO is a large public school situated in Eugene, Oregon. It awarded 4,533 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $30,010 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $22,220 after getting their degree. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $524.
Seattle University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Seattle, Washington, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1,446 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $44,571 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $23,566. Average monthly loan payments are around $708 for a 10-year repayment plan.
University of San Francisco came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. USFCA is located in San Francisco, California and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,682 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from USFCA is $47,755 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $24,357 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $653.
Chapman University came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Chapman is located in Orange, California and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,944 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Chapman make an average of $34,820 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $22,394 after getting their degree. This translates to an average monthly payment of $449 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
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%.
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