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2021 Best Affordable Colleges in California for Students from Iran

24 Colleges
$36,430 Avg Tuition & Fees*
45% Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*

International students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California ranking - to help you make that decision.

We analyzed 24 colleges and universities across California to determine which were the best for Iranian students in California. Our ranking is based on several objective factors, including the school's overall value and the total number of international students at the school. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another.

Learn more about our ranking methodology.

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Top Value Colleges in California for Students from Iran

See which schools came out on top of our ranking:

1

California State University - Long Beach tops this year’s ranking as the best value school for Iranian students in California. This large public school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 9,179 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 6.0% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at CSULB come from such countries as India, China, and Japan. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at CSULB is about $18,726 a year, on average. Graduate students pay around $17,784 a year in average tuition and fees.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Full California State University - Long Beach Report

2

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Northridge. It ranked #2 on our 2021 Best Colleges for Iranian students in California list. CSUN is a large public school situated in Northridge, California. It awarded 9,572 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 6.2% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at CSUN come from such countries as Kuwait, China, and India. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at CSUN is about $18,923 a year, on average. Graduate students pay around $17,981 a year in average tuition and fees.

Read full report on California State University - Northridge

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Fullerton. It ranked #3 on our 2021 Best Colleges for Iranian students in California list. Cal State Fullerton is a large public school situated in Fullerton, California. It awarded 10,010 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Around 5.9% of the total student population at the school is international. Students from as far away as India, China, and Kuwait come to Cal State Fullerton to study. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at Cal State Fullerton is about $18,856 a year, on average. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $17,914 per year.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full California State University - Fullerton Report

4

A rank of #4 on our list means California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a great place for Iranian students in California working on their bachelor’s degree. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona is a large public school located in Pomona, California that handed out 6,526 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 5.3% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at Cal Poly Pomona come from such countries as China, Kuwait, and South Korea. Yearly tuition and fees (out-of-state) for undergraduates at Cal Poly Pomona runs, on average, about $19,319. Graduate students pay around $18,377 a year in average tuition and fees.

With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Report

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend San Diego State University. It ranked #5 on our 2021 Best Colleges for Iranian students in California list. Located in San Diego, California, the large public school handed out 8,719 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Around 5.4% of the total student population at the school is international. Students from as far away as China, India, and Kuwait come to SDSU to study. International students at SDSU can expect to pay, on average, about $20,016 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $19,074 a year in average tuition and fees.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read More…

6

San Jose State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California list. San Jose State University is a large public school located in San Jose, California that handed out 7,192 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 10.2% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at San Jose State come from such countries as India, China, and Vietnam. Yearly tuition and fees (out-of-state) for undergraduates at San Jose State runs, on average, about $19,732. Graduate students pay around $18,790 a year in average tuition and fees.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on San Jose State University

7

California State University - East Bay came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California ranking. Located in Hayward, California, the fairly large public school handed out 4,189 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 7.2% are international. The top three countries sending students to study at Cal State East Bay are China, India, and Saudi Arabia. International students at Cal State East Bay can expect to pay, on average, about $18,875 a year to attend the school. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $17,933 per year.

Full California State University - East Bay Report

8

San Francisco State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California list. SFSU is located in San Francisco, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6,627 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

International students make up 6.8% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as China, India, and Japan come to SFSU to study. International students at SFSU can expect to pay, on average, about $19,184 a year to attend the school. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $18,242 per year.

Read More…

9

California State University - Los Angeles did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California ranking, coming in at #9. Los Angeles, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 5,742 students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 6.1% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as India, China, and Saudi Arabia come to Cal State LA to study. International students at Cal State LA can expect to pay, on average, about $18,665 a year to attend the school. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $17,723 per year.

Read full report on California State University - Los Angeles

10

California State University - Sacramento landed the #10 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California. Located in Sacramento, California, the large public school awarded 7,644 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 3.9% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at Sac State come from such countries as India, China, and South Korea. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at Sac State is about $19,272 a year, on average. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $18,330 per year.

Read More…

11

With a ranking of #11, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California. Located in La Jolla, California, the large public school awarded 9,086 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 21.4% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as China, India, and South Korea come to UCSD to study. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at UCSD is about $44,454 a year, on average. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $28,666 per year.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

12

Woodbury University did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California ranking, coming in at #12. Woodbury is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Burbank, California. It awarded 238 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 8.0% are international. Students studying at Woodbury come from such countries as Saudi Arabia, China, and Russia. Yearly tuition and fees (out-of-state) for undergraduates at Woodbury runs, on average, about $43,418. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $43,454 per year.

Read More…

13

University of California - Irvine landed the #13 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California. UC Irvine is a large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 9,882 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 18.4% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at UC Irvine are China, India, and South Korea. International students at UC Irvine can expect to pay, on average, about $43,529 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $28,458 a year in average tuition and fees.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on University of California - Irvine

14

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #14 spot on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California. UCLA is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 10,102 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 13.8% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at UCLA are China, South Korea, and India. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at UCLA is about $43,012 a year, on average. Graduate students pay around $28,138 a year in average tuition and fees.

With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read full report on University of California - Los Angeles

15

With a ranking of #15, University of California - Riverside did quite well on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California. UCR is located in Riverside, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 6,193 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

Around 7.7% of the total student population at the school is international. Students from as far away as China, India, and Taiwan come to UCR to study. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at UCR is about $43,508 a year, on average. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $28,569 per year.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read More…

16

With a ranking of #16, University of California - Davis did quite well on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California. Davis, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 9,846 students in 2020-2021.

International students make up 17.5% of the total student body at the school. Students from as far away as China, India, and South Korea come to UC Davis to study. International students at UC Davis can expect to pay, on average, about $44,399 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $28,710 a year in average tuition and fees.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

17

University of California - Santa Barbara did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Santa Barbara, California, the large public school awarded 7,001 diplomas to qualified bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.

Around 14.9% of the total student population at the school is international. The top three countries sending students to study at UCSB are China, India, and South Korea. Yearly tuition and fees (out-of-state) for undergraduates at UCSB runs, on average, about $44,171. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $28,683 per year.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%.

Full University of California - Santa Barbara Report

18

University of California - Berkeley did quite well in the 2021 Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California ranking, coming in at #18. UC Berkeley is a large public school situated in Berkeley, California. It awarded 10,523 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 16.2% are international. Students studying at UC Berkeley come from such countries as China, South Korea, and India. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at UC Berkeley is about $43,980 a year, on average. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $29,262 per year.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read More…

19

University of California - Santa Cruz ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California list. 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.

International students make up 9.6% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at UC Santa Cruz are China, India, and Taiwan. Yearly tuition and fees (out-of-state) for undergraduates at UC Santa Cruz runs, on average, about $43,824. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $28,997 per year.

Read full report on University of California - Santa Cruz

20

With a ranking of #20, University of San Francisco did quite well on the 2021 Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California. USFCA is a private not-for-profit institution located in San Francisco, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,682 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 12.7% of the total student body at the school. Students studying at USFCA come from such countries as China, India, and Indonesia. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at USFCA is about $53,472 a year, on average. Graduate students pay around $27,250 a year in average tuition and fees.

Read More…

21

Stanford University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California list. Stanford University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Stanford, California that handed out 1,511 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Around 23.9% of the total student population at the school is international. The top three countries sending students to study at Stanford are China, India, and Canada. Yearly tuition and fees (out-of-state) for undergraduates at Stanford runs, on average, about $56,169. Graduate students pay around $55,011 a year in average tuition and fees.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Full Stanford University Report

22

California Institute of Technology came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California ranking. Caltech is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 227 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

International students make up 30.5% of the total student body at the school. The top three countries sending students to study at Caltech are China, India, and Canada. International students at Caltech can expect to pay, on average, about $58,680 a year to attend the school. Graduate students pay around $58,443 a year in average tuition and fees.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full California Institute of Technology Report

23

Chapman University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California list. Chapman University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in Orange, California that handed out 1,944 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Of the total number of students at the school, 4.6% are international. Students from as far away as China, Saudi Arabia, and India come to Chapman to study. Out-of-state tuition and fees for undergraduates at Chapman is about $58,634 a year, on average. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $37,538 per year.

Read More…

24

University of Southern California came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Colleges for Iranian Students in California ranking. USC is located in Los Angeles, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5,745 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergraduates.

Around 22.5% of the total student population at the school is international. Students from as far away as China, India, and South Korea come to USC to study. Yearly tuition and fees (out-of-state) for undergraduates at USC runs, on average, about $61,503. The average tuition and fees for graduate programs is $61,396 per year.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on University of Southern California

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*Avg Tuition and Fees and Avg 4-Year Grad Rate are for the top 24 schools only.

References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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