2026 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in California
[Development Economics & International Development](/majors/social-sciences/economics/development-economics-and-international-development/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 6 schools to find the best return on investment for development economics & international development students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Development Economics & International Development Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in development economics & international development, balancing cost against outcomes.
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. Soon after graduation, development economics & international development degree recipients from University Of California San Diego generally make around $60,797. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Stanford University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value development economics & international development schools. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $65,910. Typical student debt for development economics & international development graduates is $12,500. Early-career development economics & international development graduates make about $100,827. Set against $12,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Stanford University admits about 4% of applicants.
University Of California Los Angeles came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value development economics & international development schools. Set in the city of Los Angeles, University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,233, compared with $46,121 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,000 to complete the development economics & international development program here. Development Economics & International Development graduates of University Of California Los Angeles earn a median of $62,091 early in their careers. Set against $15,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of California Los Angeles admits about 9% of applicants.
More Development Economics & International Development Rankings
View All Development Economics & International Development Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
