Best Economics 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
36
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$225,299
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$43,033
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Stanford University
Grad rate: 94.0% |
+$906,317 | $104,592 | $82,162 | $12,500 | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Pomona College
Grad rate: 93.9% |
+$848,596 | $100,669 | $81,196 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
University of California-Berkeley
Grad rate: 93.5% |
+$718,178 | $87,328 | $42,708 | $13,000 | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Claremont McKenna College
Grad rate: 93.3% |
+$645,052 | $91,488 | $82,127 | $12,000 | Full ROI → |
| 5 | Northeastern University Oakland | +$606,885 | $73,998 | N/A | $24,500 | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
Santa Clara University
Grad rate: 88.5% |
+$509,723 | $84,356 | $77,768 | $19,500 | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
University of California-Santa Barbara
Grad rate: 85.5% |
+$471,529 | $73,844 | $36,776 | $13,516 | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
California State University-Channel Islands
Grad rate: 55.1% |
+$460,764 | $69,846 | $24,039 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
San Jose State University
Grad rate: 66.2% |
+$398,800 | $67,079 | $25,695 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Sonoma State University
Grad rate: 60.1% |
+$346,035 | $65,608 | $24,739 | $20,125 | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
California State University-Fullerton
Grad rate: 69.3% |
+$334,372 | $62,882 | $16,767 | $12,000 | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
University of California-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 92.6% |
+$332,958 | $66,989 | $36,643 | $15,000 | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
Grad rate: 85.3% |
+$272,693 | $62,867 | $29,918 | $18,500 | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
California State University-East Bay
Grad rate: 45.5% |
+$226,248 | $57,873 | $22,803 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
Grad rate: 46.1% |
+$188,752 | $56,320 | $24,412 | N/A | 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 Economics Degrees by State
Browse Economics programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.