Best colleges for Area Studies in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of California-Berkeley, California State University - Long Beach and University of California-Los Angeles are the top bachelor's Area Studies programs in California by graduate earnings. University of California-Berkeley leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,728, College Scorecard. Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley and University of California-Los Angeles award the most Area Studies degrees in California: 60, 54 and 44 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 51 California colleges offer Area Studies and award 572 degrees and certificates a year in all.
Area Studies is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the research and scholarship of specific geographical, national, or cultural regions. This field encompasses various disciplines, including international relations, history,…
Top 7 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public · Bachelor's degree | $50,728 | 54 | 93% | — | $14,972 |
| 2 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public · Bachelor's degree | $28,591 | 34 | 69% | — | $15,697 |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public · Bachelor's degree | $23,819 | 44 | 93% | — | $17,746 |
| 4 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $30,897 | 18 | 87% | — | — |
| 5 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $29,316 | 19 | 70% | — | $17,500 |
| 6 | California State University - Chico Chico Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $23,149 | 4 | 63% | — | $16,375 |
| 7 | University of California-Davis Davis Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $21,527 | 16 | 86% | — | $14,167 |
Colleges awarding the most Area Studies degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University Stanford Private not-for-profit | 60 | Not reported |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 54 | $50,728 |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 44 | $23,819 |
| 4 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 34 | $28,591 |
| 5 | University of Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 25 | Not reported |
| 6 | California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 23 | Not reported |
| 7 | California State University - Fullerton Fullerton Public | 19 | $29,316 |
| 8 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public | 19 | Not reported |
| 9 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | 18 | $30,897 |
| 10 | University of San Francisco San Francisco Private not-for-profit | 18 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 41 California colleges offering Area Studies
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1062).
Top skills
What Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Area Studies programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Area Studies degrees?+
Stanford University (60 graduates a year), University of California-Berkeley (54 graduates a year) and University of California-Los Angeles (44 graduates a year) award the most Area Studies degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 51 California colleges offer Area Studies.
What is the best college for Area Studies in California?+
By graduate earnings, University of California-Berkeley leads among bachelor's Area Studies programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $50,728, College Scorecard. California State University - Long Beach and University of California-Los Angeles follow. By degrees awarded, Stanford University is the largest, with 60 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Area Studies program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of California-Berkeley tops the list at $50,728. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary in California is $122,400 (median $105,220), across about 770 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Area Studies program?+
Area Studies is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the research and scholarship of specific geographical, national, or cultural regions. This field encompasses various disciplines, including international relations, history,…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, speaking, writing, active learning, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary?+
The national job outlook is about +2.4% growth with around 1,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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