Best Accounting and Related Services Degrees in California by ROI
Colleges in California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Programs in California
29
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$219,870
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$50,931
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Santa Clara University
Grad rate: 88.5% |
+$568,020 | $87,254 | $77,768 | $19,250 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Loyola Marymount University
Grad rate: 80.6% |
+$434,642 | $80,053 | $75,867 | $17,000 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
Point Loma Nazarene University
Grad rate: 74.8% |
+$422,304 | $74,448 | $56,664 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
San Diego State University
Grad rate: 78.1% |
+$396,187 | $68,308 | $27,357 | $15,218 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
California State University-Northridge
Grad rate: 56.1% |
+$387,268 | $66,494 | $20,317 | $15,810 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
University of Southern California
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$373,213 | $78,710 | $84,678 | $16,500 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
San Jose State University
Grad rate: 66.2% |
+$369,600 | $65,619 | $25,695 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
University of Redlands
Grad rate: 69.0% |
+$357,098 | $75,724 | $70,233 | $27,000 | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
Pepperdine University
Grad rate: 84.4% |
+$330,972 | $75,589 | $85,202 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
University of San Diego
Grad rate: 82.1% |
+$328,435 | $75,083 | $74,879 | $24,969 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
University of San Francisco
Grad rate: 72.8% |
+$325,525 | $75,225 | $76,421 | $24,660 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
Chapman University
Grad rate: 81.9% |
+$287,464 | $74,073 | $81,327 | $21,250 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
Menlo College
Grad rate: 54.1% |
+$284,394 | $72,015 | $69,879 | $26,955 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
Azusa Pacific University
Grad rate: 62.8% |
+$280,192 | $68,256 | $54,735 | $19,250 | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
California State University-San Marcos
Grad rate: 55.3% |
+$244,189 | $59,957 | $21,144 | $22,500 | Full ROI → |
How ROI is calculated
20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)
A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.
Find Best Accounting and Related Services Degrees by State
Browse Accounting and Related Services programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.