2027 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in California
[Development Economics & International Development](/majors/social-sciences/economics/development-economics-and-international-development/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value development economics & international development schools.
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2027 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the development economics & international development degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools
Leading the list is University Of California San Diego, our #1 best value for development economics & international development in California. University Of California San Diego is a very large public school located in the city of La Jolla. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,788, while out-of-state students pay about $47,676. Typical student debt for development economics & international development graduates is $15,000. Development Economics & International Development graduates of University Of California San Diego earn a median of $60,797 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $15,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 27%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of California Los Angeles earned it the #2 place for development economics & international development. University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles. In-state tuition and fees average $14,233, with out-of-state students paying around $46,121. Development Economics & International Development graduates carry a median of $15,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, development economics & international development degree recipients from University Of California Los Angeles generally make around $62,091. That is a strong return on a $15,000 median debt. Roughly 9% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in development economics & international development will find it at Stanford University, which ranked #3. Set in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $65,910. Development Economics & International Development graduates carry a median of $12,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, development economics & international development degree recipients from Stanford University generally make around $100,827. Set against $12,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 4%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
