Best Business Administration, Management and Operations 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
58
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$900,606
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$41,886
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
University of California-Berkeley
Grad rate: 93.5% |
+$2,906,524 | $191,597 | $42,708 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
Stanford University
Grad rate: 94.0% |
+$2,736,756 | $187,054 | $82,162 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 |
University of California-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 92.6% |
+$2,240,334 | $157,681 | $36,643 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 |
Santa Clara University
Grad rate: 88.5% |
+$1,820,864 | $140,820 | $77,768 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
University of Southern California
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$1,793,224 | $140,129 | $84,678 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
University of California-Davis
Grad rate: 85.7% |
+$1,630,566 | $127,335 | $38,067 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Saint Mary's College of California
Grad rate: 70.4% |
+$1,411,610 | $119,946 | $73,655 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 | Golden Gate University | +$1,349,480 | $109,474 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 |
University of California-San Diego
Grad rate: 87.7% |
+$1,283,010 | $109,783 | $36,325 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
University of California-Irvine
Grad rate: 86.3% |
+$1,280,598 | $109,642 | $36,121 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
California State University Maritime Academy
Grad rate: 64.9% |
+$1,244,644 | $106,946 | $27,138 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
San Jose State University
Grad rate: 66.2% |
+$1,241,570 | $106,648 | $25,695 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
California State University-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 52.0% |
+$1,199,514 | $103,691 | $17,153 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
University of San Francisco
Grad rate: 72.8% |
+$1,130,298 | $106,157 | $76,421 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Pepperdine University
Grad rate: 84.4% |
+$1,111,336 | $106,087 | $85,202 | 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 Business Administration, Management and Operations Degrees by State
Browse Business Administration, Management and Operations programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.