47 Best colleges for Political Economy in California, US

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in California ranked based on their research performance in Political Economy. A graph of 712K citations received by 18.7K academic papers made by 47 universities in California was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Political Economy

#1 in the United States

#1 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $29,608
Enrollment: 45,882

2. Stanford University

Stanford

For Political Economy

#4 in the United States

#4 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $25,078

3. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Political Economy

#8 in the United States

#9 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 59%
Average Aid: $25,627
Enrollment: 47,335

4. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Political Economy

#12 in the United States

#14 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Receiving Aid: 66%
Average Aid: $25,757
Enrollment: 44,256

5. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Political Economy

#29 in the United States

#32 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $23,110
Enrollment: 37,297

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Political Economy

#33 in the United States

#36 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $43,412

7. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Political Economy

#41 in the United States

#47 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Receiving Aid: 65%
Average Aid: $24,591
Enrollment: 40,065

8. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Political Economy

#47 in the United States

#53 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $24,695
Enrollment: 26,133

9. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Political Economy

#60 in the United States

#70 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Receiving Aid: 64%
Average Aid: $22,774
Enrollment: 19,938

10. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Political Economy

#64 in the United States

#75 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $24,355
Enrollment: 26,384

11. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Political Economy

#103 in the United States

#119 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $12,053
Enrollment: 41,137

12. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Political Economy

#107 in the United States

#123 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 2,441
Male:Female: 79:21
Founded: 1909

13. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Political Economy

#111 in the United States

#127 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 81%
Average Aid: $12,996
Enrollment: 22,563

14. John F. Kennedy University

Pleasant Hill

For Political Economy

#114 in the United States

#130 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Founded: 1964

15. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Political Economy

#134 in the United States

#157 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $45,443

16. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Political Economy

#149 in the United States

#173 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $14,513
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $72,373

17. Claremont Graduate University

Claremont

For Political Economy

#173 in the United States

#200 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 1,771
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1925

18. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Political Economy

#174 in the United States

#201 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1345
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $59,926

19. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Political Economy

#178 in the United States

#205 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $27,292
Enrollment: 9,110

20. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Political Economy

#179 in the United States

#206 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $11,795
Enrollment: 42,003

21. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Political Economy

#184 in the United States

#212 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $53,883

22. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Political Economy

#192 in the United States

#220 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Receiving Aid: 69%
Average Aid: $12,353
Enrollment: 37,661

23. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Political Economy

#193 in the United States

#221 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Net Price: $37,918
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $40,965

24. Claremont McKenna College

Claremont

For Political Economy

#194 in the United States

#222 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1515
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $33,895

25. Chapman University

Orange

For Political Economy

#202 in the United States

#230 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1350
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $47,902

26. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Political Economy

#208 in the United States

#236 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $12,326
Enrollment: 24,427

27. Pomona College

Claremont

For Political Economy

#214 in the United States

#242 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $19,938

28. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Political Economy

#231 in the United States

#262 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,007
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1864

29. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Political Economy

#233 in the United States

#264 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $13,824
Enrollment: 23,163

30. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Political Economy

#236 in the United States

#267 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $11,234
Enrollment: 43,662

31. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Political Economy

#238 in the United States

#269 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $48,400

32. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Political Economy

#245 in the United States

#276 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $12,825
Enrollment: 38,313

33. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Political Economy

#272 in the United States

#307 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Receiving Aid: 74%
Average Aid: $10,748
Enrollment: 6,237

34. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Political Economy

#277 in the United States

#312 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $12,767
Enrollment: 31,943

35. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Political Economy

#281 in the United States

#317 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $12,167
Enrollment: 18,492

36. Pepperdine University

Malibu

For Political Economy

#287 in the United States

#323 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $66,585

37. California State University - Monterey Bay

Seaside

For Political Economy

#300 in the United States

#336 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Receiving Aid: 76%
Average Aid: $12,185
Enrollment: 7,713

38. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Political Economy

#310 in the United States

#348 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1332
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $31,670

39. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Political Economy

#349 in the United States

#387 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $11,509
Enrollment: 15,257

40. University of Redlands

Redlands

For Political Economy

#358 in the United States

#398 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1229
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $28,482

41. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Political Economy

#359 in the United States

#399 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $13,951
Enrollment: 15,182

42. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Political Economy

#368 in the United States

#409 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $11,833
Enrollment: 27,636

43. California State University - San Marcos

San Marcos

For Political Economy

#376 in the United States

#418 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $11,123
Enrollment: 16,237

44. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Political Economy

#377 in the United States

#419 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $14,338
Enrollment: 23,069

45. Mills College

Oakland

For Political Economy

#380 in the United States

#422 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,473

46. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Political Economy

#389 in the United States

#433 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $12,369
Enrollment: 12,326

47. University of the West

Rosemead

For Political Economy

#408 in the United States

#455 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $14,713
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,445

Closest to California states to learn Political Economy

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	5	90
Utah	3	59
Arizona	3	37
Idaho	3	161
Washington	7	13
Colorado	9	45
Nebraska	3	121
Kansas	4	72
Texas	17	14
Oklahoma	3	104
Minnesota	7	43
Iowa	5	52
Missouri	7	28
Arkansas	3	73
Louisiana	4	83
Wisconsin	6	18
Illinois	19	6
Mississippi	3	147
Indiana	12	30
Michigan	8	9
Tennessee	7	48
Alabama	4	84
Kentucky	4	77
Ohio	16	19
Georgia	8	40
South Carolina	5	85
North Carolina	14	16
Virginia	13	26
Pennsylvania	23	24
Florida	12	50
District of Columbia	6	15
Maryland	11	23
New York	50	2
New Jersey	10	5
Connecticut	7	3
Massachusetts	24	11
New Hampshire	3	55
Rhode Island	4	81
Maine	5	169

Economics subfields in California

Actuarial Science35

Agricultural Economics14

Development Studies98

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics59

Environmental Economics19

Finance84

International Economics29

International Relations and Diplomacy27

International Trade35

Investment Banking and Stock trading38