Top 50 Best Master's Degree Programs in California by ROI

Every Master's Degree program in California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in California

740

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

+$572,795

Across all California programs

Average Annual Cost

$44,635

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	University of California-San Francisco	Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies.	+$3,279,820	$205,991	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
2	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Law.	+$3,212,416	$210,837	$82,162	N/A	Full ROI →
3	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Computer Science.	+$3,059,536	$203,193	$82,162	N/A	Full ROI →
4	University of California-San Diego Grad rate: 87.7%	Computer Science.	+$2,976,850	$194,475	$36,325	N/A	Full ROI →
5	University of California-Berkeley Grad rate: 93.5%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$2,906,524	$191,597	$42,708	N/A	Full ROI →
6	University of California-San Francisco	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$2,811,180	$182,559	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
7	Loma Linda University	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$2,796,480	$181,824	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
8	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$2,736,756	$187,054	$82,162	N/A	Full ROI →
9	University of California-Los Angeles Grad rate: 92.6%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$2,679,014	$179,615	$36,643	N/A	Full ROI →
10	University of California-Irvine Grad rate: 86.3%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	+$2,648,718	$178,048	$36,121	N/A	Full ROI →
11	University of California-Berkeley Grad rate: 93.5%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	+$2,415,624	$167,052	$42,708	N/A	Full ROI →
12	Touro University California	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$2,307,540	$157,377	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
13	University of California-Los Angeles Grad rate: 92.6%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$2,240,334	$157,681	$36,643	N/A	Full ROI →
14	University of Southern California Grad rate: 92.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$2,212,524	$161,094	$84,678	N/A	Full ROI →
15	University of California-Los Angeles Grad rate: 92.6%	Applied Mathematics.	+$2,209,034	$156,116	$36,643	N/A	Full ROI →
16	University of California-San Diego Grad rate: 87.7%	Computer Engineering.	+$2,149,710	$153,118	$36,325	N/A	Full ROI →
17	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	+$2,145,676	$157,500	$82,162	N/A	Full ROI →
18	Touro University California	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$2,110,740	$147,537	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
19	University of Southern California Grad rate: 92.2%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$2,100,504	$155,493	$84,678	N/A	Full ROI →
20	Western University of Health Sciences	Medicine.	+$2,082,700	$146,135	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
21	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Grad rate: 85.3%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$2,061,164	$148,050	$29,918	N/A	Full ROI →
22	University of the Pacific Grad rate: 70.5%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$2,050,534	$151,344	$68,173	N/A	Full ROI →
23	Samuel Merritt University	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$2,038,960	$143,948	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
24	University of Southern California Grad rate: 92.2%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,959,324	$148,434	$84,678	N/A	Full ROI →
25	University of California-Berkeley Grad rate: 93.5%	Law.	+$1,954,264	$143,984	$42,708	N/A	Full ROI →
26	University of California-Berkeley Grad rate: 93.5%	Information Science/Studies.	+$1,944,904	$143,516	$42,708	N/A	Full ROI →
27	University of Southern California Grad rate: 92.2%	Computer Science.	+$1,917,784	$146,357	$84,678	N/A	Full ROI →
28	Western University of Health Sciences	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,906,000	$137,300	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Touro University California	Medicine.	+$1,904,480	$137,224	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
30	Loma Linda University	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,899,420	$136,971	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
31	University of Southern California Grad rate: 92.2%	Marketing.	+$1,883,524	$144,644	$84,678	N/A	Full ROI →
32	Loma Linda University	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,882,000	$136,100	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
33	San Jose State University Grad rate: 66.2%	Computer Engineering.	+$1,873,990	$138,269	$25,695	N/A	Full ROI →
34	University of California-San Francisco	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	+$1,857,660	$134,883	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
35	University of California-Davis Grad rate: 85.7%	Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other.	+$1,842,206	$137,917	$38,067	N/A	Full ROI →
36	San Francisco State University Grad rate: 52.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,832,684	$136,160	$25,258	N/A	Full ROI →
37	Santa Clara University Grad rate: 88.5%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$1,820,864	$140,820	$77,768	N/A	Full ROI →
38	University of Southern California Grad rate: 92.2%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$1,793,224	$140,129	$84,678	N/A	Full ROI →
39	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Communication and Media Studies.	+$1,789,236	$139,678	$82,162	N/A	Full ROI →
40	University of California-Davis Grad rate: 85.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,784,046	$135,009	$38,067	N/A	Full ROI →
41	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Engineering-Related Fields.	+$1,780,356	$139,234	$82,162	N/A	Full ROI →
42	Vanguard University of Southern California Grad rate: 57.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,755,224	$134,779	$50,178	N/A	Full ROI →
43	California State University-Fullerton Grad rate: 69.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,738,306	$130,592	$16,767	N/A	Full ROI →
44	University of Southern California Grad rate: 92.2%	Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other.	+$1,727,604	$136,848	$84,678	N/A	Full ROI →
45	University of California-San Francisco	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,718,580	$127,929	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
46	University of California-Los Angeles Grad rate: 92.6%	Law.	+$1,688,454	$130,087	$36,643	N/A	Full ROI →
47	University of Southern California Grad rate: 92.2%	Law.	+$1,683,284	$134,632	$84,678	N/A	Full ROI →
48	Touro University California	Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General.	+$1,648,100	$124,405	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →
49	University of California-Davis Grad rate: 85.7%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$1,630,566	$127,335	$38,067	N/A	Full ROI →
50	Touro University California	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$1,627,160	$123,358	N/A	N/A	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.