Highest ROI College Degrees in California

Top 20 college + major combinations in California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost
1	California Institute of Technology Grad rate: 93.6%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$3,891,708	$253,305	$83,598	Full ROI →
2	University of California-San Francisco	Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies.	+$3,279,820	$205,991	N/A	Full ROI →
3	University of Southern California Grad rate: 92.2%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$3,249,648	$221,418	$84,678	Full ROI →
4	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Law.	+$3,212,416	$210,837	$82,162	Full ROI →
5	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Computer Science.	+$3,059,536	$203,193	$82,162	Full ROI →
6	Loma Linda University	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$3,054,440	$194,722	N/A	Full ROI →
7	University of California-San Diego Grad rate: 87.7%	Computer Science.	+$2,976,850	$194,475	$36,325	Full ROI →
8	University of California-Berkeley Grad rate: 93.5%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$2,906,524	$191,597	$42,708	Full ROI →
9	University of California-San Francisco	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$2,811,180	$182,559	N/A	Full ROI →
10	Loma Linda University	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$2,796,480	$181,824	N/A	Full ROI →
11	University of California-San Diego Grad rate: 87.7%	Economics.	+$2,760,480	$187,289	$36,325	Full ROI →
12	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$2,736,756	$187,054	$82,162	Full ROI →
13	University of California-Los Angeles Grad rate: 92.6%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$2,679,014	$179,615	$36,643	Full ROI →
14	University of California-Irvine Grad rate: 86.3%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	+$2,648,718	$178,048	$36,121	Full ROI →
15	University of Southern California Grad rate: 92.2%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$2,567,548	$187,313	$84,678	Full ROI →
16	University of California-Berkeley Grad rate: 93.5%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	+$2,415,624	$167,052	$42,708	Full ROI →
17	California State University-Fullerton Grad rate: 69.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$2,411,252	$165,916	$16,767	Full ROI →
18	University of California-San Francisco	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$2,308,440	$157,422	N/A	Full ROI →
19	Touro University California	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$2,307,540	$157,377	N/A	Full ROI →
20	Stanford University Grad rate: 94.0%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	+$2,302,312	$173,548	$82,162	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.