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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools in the Far Western Region

28 Colleges in the United States
2,693 Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Degrees Awarded
$39,851 Avg Early-Career Salary

Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies programs.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 190 schools to find the best for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students.

What’s on this page:

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Best Schools for Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies in the Far Western Region

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies

1

Our analysis ranked University Of California Berkeley the best school in the country for a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. Located in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public university. University Of California Berkeley graduates 93% of students within six years. University Of California Berkeley awarded about 166 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from University Of California Berkeley earn around $48,690 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $15,045 to complete this degree. Get the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies details for University Of California Berkeley

2
Stanford University crest
Stanford University
Stanford, CA

Stanford University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit university. About 92% of students finish within six years. About 84 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at Stanford University in the most recent year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from Stanford University earn around $41,156 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $10,492. Get the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies details for Stanford University

3

A rank of #3 makes San Jose State University one of the top schools for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies. San Jose State University is a very large public school located in the city of San Jose. The six-year graduation rate is 69%. There were roughly 25 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at San Jose State University in the most recent data year. More information about a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies from San Jose State University

4

Students looking for a strong area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program will find one at University Of Southern California, which ranked #4. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. Roughly 92% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 42 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of Southern California in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from University Of Southern California earn around $75,677 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $21,500. Get the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies details for University Of Southern California

5

Students looking for a strong area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program will find one at University Of Washington Seattle Campus, which ranked #5. This very large public university is located in the city of Seattle. Roughly 85% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Washington Seattle Campus awarded about 211 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $43,481 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $14,935. Get the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies details for University Of Washington Seattle Campus

6

University Of California Davis ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. University Of California Davis is a very large public school located in the suburb of Davis. About 86% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 99 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of California Davis in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of California Davis generally make around $25,242. Typical student debt for the program is $14,166. See the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program report for University Of California Davis

7

University Of California Santa Cruz landed the #7 spot for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. University Of California Santa Cruz is a very large public school located in the city of Santa Cruz. About 75% of students finish within six years. About 109 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at University Of California Santa Cruz in the most recent year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of University Of California Santa Cruz earn a median of $31,140 early in their careers. University Of California Santa Cruz graduates carry a median of $19,747 in student loans. More information about a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies from University Of California Santa Cruz

8

Oregon State University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Oregon State University is a very large public school located in the city of Corvallis. The six-year graduation rate is 70%. Oregon State University awarded about 27 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Oregon State University generally make around $51,000. Typical student debt for the program is $24,043. Get the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies details for Oregon State University

9

University Of California Santa Barbara earned the #9 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Santa Barbara. University Of California Santa Barbara graduates 83% of students within six years. University Of California Santa Barbara awarded about 57 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $32,341 in their early career. University Of California Santa Barbara graduates carry a median of $21,822 in student loans. Read more about the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program at University Of California Santa Barbara

10

California State University Fresno ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the city of Fresno, California State University Fresno is a very large public university. California State University Fresno graduates 57% of students within six years. California State University Fresno awarded about 21 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from California State University Fresno earn around $49,502 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $15,598. More information about a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies from California State University Fresno

11

Seattle Pacific University came in at #11 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Seattle, Seattle Pacific University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 62%. Seattle Pacific University awarded about 14 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Seattle Pacific University generally make around $52,713. Typical student debt for the program is $25,188. See the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program report for Seattle Pacific University

12
University Of San Francisco crest
University Of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

University Of San Francisco earned the #12 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. University Of San Francisco is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco. The six-year graduation rate is 70%. There were roughly 17 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at University Of San Francisco in the most recent data year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of University Of San Francisco earn a median of $65,223 early in their careers. University Of San Francisco graduates carry a median of $23,935 in student loans. Read more about the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program at University Of San Francisco

13

University Of California Los Angeles earned the #13 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 93%. About 218 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at University Of California Los Angeles in the most recent year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of University Of California Los Angeles earn a median of $27,278 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $17,485. See the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program report for University Of California Los Angeles

14

University Of California San Diego ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. University Of California San Diego is a very large public school located in the city of La Jolla. About 86% of students finish within six years. About 53 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at University Of California San Diego in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of California San Diego generally make around $30,984. Typical student debt for the program is $12,485. Get the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies details for University Of California San Diego

15

California State University East Bay placed #15 among the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the suburb of Hayward, California State University East Bay is a large public university. Roughly 48% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 33 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at California State University East Bay in the most recent year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from California State University East Bay earn around $47,511 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $18,638. Read more about the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program at California State University East Bay

16

California State University San Marcos came in at #16 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. California State University San Marcos is a large public school located in the suburb of San Marcos. Roughly 55% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 11 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at California State University San Marcos in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from California State University San Marcos earn around $48,726 in the first couple years of their career. California State University San Marcos graduates carry a median of $17,527 in student loans. Read more about the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program at California State University San Marcos

17

University Of California Irvine placed #17 among the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. University Of California Irvine is a very large public school located in the city of Irvine. About 87% of students finish within six years. About 46 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at University Of California Irvine in the most recent year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $29,748 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $18,998 to complete this degree. Get the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies details for University Of California Irvine

18
Sonoma State University crest
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA

Sonoma State University ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Located in the suburb of Rohnert Park, Sonoma State University is a moderately-sized public university. About 58% of students finish within six years. Sonoma State University awarded about 28 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of Sonoma State University earn a median of $35,263 early in their careers. Sonoma State University graduates carry a median of $19,187 in student loans. More information about a degree in area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies from Sonoma State University

19

University Of Hawaii At Hilo earned the #19 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. University Of Hawaii At Hilo is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Hilo. Roughly 48% of students complete a degree within six years here. University Of Hawaii At Hilo awarded about 28 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from University Of Hawaii At Hilo generally make around $48,141. University Of Hawaii At Hilo graduates carry a median of $22,615 in student loans. See the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program report for University Of Hawaii At Hilo

20

San Francisco State University ranked #20 on our 2026 list of the best area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies schools. Set in the city of San Francisco, San Francisco State University is a very large public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 50%. There were roughly 79 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at San Francisco State University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree from San Francisco State University earn around $31,001 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $17,875. See the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program report for San Francisco State University

21

California State University Long Beach came in at #21 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Long Beach. The six-year graduation rate is 69%. California State University Long Beach awarded about 97 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies graduates of California State University Long Beach earn a median of $28,470 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $15,363. Read more about the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program at California State University Long Beach

22

California State Polytechnic University Pomona came in at #22 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. California State Polytechnic University Pomona is a very large public school located in the suburb of Pomona. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 13 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies students who graduated with this degree at California State Polytechnic University Pomona in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from California State Polytechnic University Pomona generally make around $40,253. Students borrow a median of $13,486 to complete this degree. See the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program report for California State Polytechnic University Pomona

23

California State University Sacramento earned the #23 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Set in the city of Sacramento, California State University Sacramento is a very large public institution. About 56% of students finish within six years. About 72 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees were awarded at California State University Sacramento in the most recent year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $30,628 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $18,120 to complete this degree. Read more about the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program at California State University Sacramento

24

Humboldt State University earned the #24 position for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. Humboldt State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Arcata. Roughly 49% of students complete a degree within six years here. Humboldt State University awarded about 14 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degree recipients from Humboldt State University generally make around $30,844. Typical student debt for the program is $15,533. Read more about the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program at Humboldt State University

25

California State University Fullerton came in at #25 for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year. California State University Fullerton is a very large public school located in the suburb of Fullerton. About 70% of students finish within six years. California State University Fullerton awarded about 44 area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies program make about $28,965 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $17,643. Get the full area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies details for California State University Fullerton

Rest of the Top 50 Area, Ethnic, Culture, & Gender Studies Schools

These schools also placed among the best for area, ethnic, culture, & gender studies this year:

26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
Chabot College crest
Chabot College
Hayward, CA
35
Oxnard College crest
Oxnard College
Oxnard, CA
36
37
West Valley College crest
West Valley College
Saratoga, CA
38
39
40
41
42
East Los Angeles College crest
East Los Angeles College
Monterey Park, CA
43
44
45
Citrus College crest
Citrus College
Glendora, CA
46
47
48
49
50
Sierra College crest
Sierra College
Rocklin, CA

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 190 schools evaluated.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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