2026 Best Value Business Economics Schools in California
[Business Economics](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/business-managerial-economics/business-economics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 14 schools to find the best return on investment for business economics students.
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2026 Best Value Business Economics Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in business economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Business Economics Schools
Leading the list is University Of California Irvine, our #1 best value for business economics in California. University Of California Irvine is a very large public school located in the city of Irvine. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,752, with out-of-state students paying around $46,640. Typical student debt for business economics graduates is $15,000. Early-career business economics graduates make about $44,277. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of California Irvine admits about 29% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes California State University Long Beach one of the best values for business economics. Set in the city of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,374, compared with $19,974 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for business economics graduates is $18,329. Business Economics graduates of California State University Long Beach earn a median of $38,967 early in their careers. Set against $18,329 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California State University Long Beach admits about 46% of applicants.
University Of California Santa Cruz came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value business economics schools. Located in the city of Santa Cruz, University Of California Santa Cruz is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,035, while out-of-state students pay about $46,923. Business Economics graduates carry a median of $16,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, business economics degree recipients from University Of California Santa Cruz generally make around $52,029. Set against $16,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 66%.
Ashford University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in business economics, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of San Diego, Ashford University is a very large private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,960. Business Economics graduates carry a median of $36,551 in student loans. Business Economics graduates of Ashford University earn a median of $66,360 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Westmont College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value business economics schools. Set in the suburb of Santa Barbara, Westmont College is a small private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $53,584. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the business economics program here. Business Economics graduates of Westmont College earn a median of $54,457 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Chapman University placed #6 among the best values for business economics. Chapman University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Orange. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $64,984. Students borrow a median of $22,977 to complete the business economics program here. Business Economics graduates of Chapman University earn a median of $54,064 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Chapman University admits about 65% of applicants.
Santa Clara University earned the #7 position for value in business economics this year. Set in the city of Santa Clara, Santa Clara University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $61,293. Typical student debt for business economics graduates is $20,144. Business Economics graduates of Santa Clara University earn a median of $79,380 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,144 median debt. The acceptance rate is 48%.
More Business Economics Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 14 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
