It's not easy to decide which grad school to attend when you have so many options available. College Factual has developed its Best Doctor's Degree Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.
We analyzed 80 grad schools across the Far Western US Region to determine which have the best doctorate degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best grad 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 doctorate degree from the school. While doctorate degree recipients from schools in the Far Western US Region earn an average starting salary of $75,423, those from the top 24 school on this list made an average of $80,443.
Starting Salary ( 58851 to 91867 )
Taking Out Student Loans
Graduate students may also take on a lot of debt while working on their doctorate so we factor that into our rankings as well.
The average amount taken out in student loans for graduates at a particular school may be crippling for those who earn less than average wages after graduation.
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 Doctorate 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.
If you'd rather work on your doctorate degree in a specific area of the country, you might be interested in our rankings by place. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.
Still not sure what graduate degree you wish to pursue? You may want to visit our Best Master's Degree Schools ranking.
Top Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
Our 2024 rankings named Stanford University the best grad school in the Far Western US Region in terms of overall quality for students working on their doctorate degree. Stanford is located in Stanford, California and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,105 doctorate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from Stanford is $98,295 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Southern California. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. USC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 1,914 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from USC is $87,196 during the early years of their career.
The excellent doctorate degree programs at University of California - Berkeley helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in the Far Western US Region. University of California - Berkeley is a large public school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 1,187 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from UC Berkeley make an average of $88,876 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of Technology. The school came in at #4 in the Far Western US Region on this year’s best doctorate degree schools ranking. Caltech is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 184 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Caltech make an average of $59,996 a year.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Fielding Graduate University. The school came in at #5 in the Far Western US Region on this year’s best doctorate degree schools ranking. Located in Santa Barbara, California, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 123 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from Fielding is $71,013 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #6, The Master’s University and Seminary did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. The Master’s University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Santa Clarita, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 27 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
University of California - Los Angeles landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, the large public school awarded 1,348 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $73,710 during the early years of their career.
University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #8. Located in Seattle, Washington, the large public school handed out 1,479 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from UW Seattle make an average of $77,113 a year.
University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #9. UCSB is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 287 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from UCSB make an average of $104,226 a year.
With a ranking of #10, Claremont Graduate University did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Claremont, California, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 130 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from Claremont Graduate University is $72,333 during the early years of their career.
University of California - San Diego did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #11. UCSD is a large public school situated in La Jolla, California. It awarded 718 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from UCSD make an average of $61,698 per year during the early years of their career.
Alliant International University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Alliant is a private for-profit institution located in San Diego, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 267 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from Alliant go into careers with an average salary of $71,918 during the early years of their career.
Biola University did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #13. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in La Mirada, California, and it awarded 66 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Biola make an average of $74,906 a year.
Pacific University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Pacific University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Forest Grove, Oregon that handed out 359 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from Pacific go into careers with an average salary of $82,986 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #15, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. UC Davis is a public institution located in Davis, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 913 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from UC Davis is $67,399 during the early years of their career.
University of Puget Sound came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. University of Puget Sound is a small private not-for-profit school located in Tacoma, Washington that handed out 35 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Puget Sound make an average of $73,526 per year during the early years of their career.
University of California - Irvine came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. University of California - Irvine is a large public school located in Irvine, California that handed out 710 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $55,621 during the early years of their career.
Santa Clara University did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Santa Clara, California, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 240 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from SCU make an average of $74,729 per year during the early years of their career.
Pepperdine University did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #19. Pepperdine is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Malibu, California. It awarded 253 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from Pepperdine is $75,813 during the early years of their career.
University of Nevada - Las Vegas came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. This large public school is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it awarded 485 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $76,720 during the early years of their career.
Azusa Pacific University did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Azusa, California, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 137 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from Azusa Pacific go into careers with an average salary of $80,395 during the early years of their career.
Northcentral University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in San Diego, California, the fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 780 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Northcentral University make an average of $73,905 a year.
University of San Francisco did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #23. San Francisco, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate degrees to 202 students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from USFCA is $105,949 during the early years of their career.
University of the Pacific landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. University of the Pacific is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Stockton, California that handed out 654 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Pacific make an average of $92,529 per year during the early years of their career.
California State University - Fullerton did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Fullerton, California, the large public school handed out 67 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Cal State Fullerton make an average of $129,790 a year.
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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