2026 Best Value Near & Middle Eastern Studies Schools in California
[Near & Middle Eastern Studies](/majors/ethnic-cultural-gender-studies/area-studies/near-and-middle-eastern-studies/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 11 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for near & middle eastern studies students.
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2026 Best Value Near & Middle Eastern Studies Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the near & middle eastern studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Near & Middle Eastern Studies Schools
University Of California Santa Barbara earned the #1 spot for value among near & middle eastern studies schools in California. Set in the suburb of Santa Barbara, University Of California Santa Barbara is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,444, with out-of-state students paying around $47,332. Students borrow a median of $22,697 to complete the near & middle eastern studies program here. Near & Middle Eastern Studies graduates of University Of California Santa Barbara earn a median of $45,488 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 33% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Los Angeles is a great value for students pursuing a degree in near & middle eastern studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,233, compared with $46,121 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for near & middle eastern studies graduates is $17,746. Early-career near & middle eastern studies graduates make about $23,819. Set against $17,746 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 9%.
Students looking for strong value in near & middle eastern studies will find it at University Of California Berkeley, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,377 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $47,265. Typical student debt for near & middle eastern studies graduates is $14,972. Near & Middle Eastern Studies graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $50,728 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,972 median debt. University Of California Berkeley admits about 11% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in near & middle eastern studies will find it at University Of California Davis, which ranked #4. University Of California Davis is a very large public school located in the suburb of Davis. In-state tuition and fees average $15,804, with out-of-state students paying around $47,692. Typical student debt for near & middle eastern studies graduates is $14,167. Soon after graduation, near & middle eastern studies degree recipients from University Of California Davis generally make around $53,749. Set against $14,167 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Students looking for strong value in near & middle eastern studies will find it at University Of Southern California, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $71,647. Typical student debt for near & middle eastern studies graduates is $15,625. Early-career near & middle eastern studies graduates make about $75,677. That is a strong return on a $15,625 median debt. The acceptance rate is 10%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
