Best Business/Commerce, General 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
8
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$83,806
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$49,084
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Grad rate: 85.3% |
+$525,148 | $74,241 | $29,918 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Saint Mary's College of California
Grad rate: 70.4% |
+$182,500 | $67,476 | $73,655 | $24,000 | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
University of Redlands
Grad rate: 69.0% |
+$86,843 | $62,920 | $70,233 | $37,500 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
California Baptist University
Grad rate: 61.2% |
+$64,492 | $57,638 | $52,408 | $28,619 | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
California State University-San Marcos
Grad rate: 55.3% |
+$64,002 | $50,973 | $21,144 | $22,875 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
DeVry University-California
Grad rate: 18.2% |
-$30,840 | $51,575 | $39,643 | $47,236 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Biola University
Grad rate: 70.4% |
-$37,011 | $53,447 | $58,430 | $23,875 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
Pacific Union College
Grad rate: 48.8% |
-$184,686 | $44,307 | $47,244 | $31,000 | 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 Business/Commerce, General Degrees by State
Browse Business/Commerce, General programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.