2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California
19
Ranked Colleges
1,542
Degrees Awarded
$26,600
Avg Net Price*
With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Finance Schools in California” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Finance & Financial Management is the 14th most popular major in the country with 57,778 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, finance & financial management graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $53,475 and had an average of $24,463 in loans still to pay off.
Across California, there were 1,542 finance & financial management graduates with average earnings and debt of $61,293 and $21,118 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Finance Schools in California” ranking analyzed 19 colleges that offered a degree in finance & financial management. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent finance & financial management programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.
Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the finance & financial management program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.
One Size Does Not Fit All
When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Finance Schools in California” list to help you make the college decision.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering, or bookmark the tool so you can experiment with it later.
Best Value Finance Schools in California
The colleges and universities below are the best for california finance students.
Top 19 Best Value Colleges for Finance & Financial Management in California
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California State University - Northridge. It ranked #1 on our 2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California list. CSUN is a public institution located in Northridge, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 399 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
CSUN also took the #7 spot in our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for CSUN is $8,523 for california finance students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Finance & Financial Management at CSUN
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Golden Gate University - San Francisco. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California list. Golden Gate University - San Francisco is located in San Francisco, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 48 ’s finance degrees to qualified students.
Golden Gate University - San Francisco also made our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” list, coming in at #4.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Finance & Financial Management at Golden Gate University - San Francisco
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Arizona Global Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California list. This large school is located in San Diego, California, and it awarded 129 ’s finance degrees in 2020-2021.
UAGC not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #13 on our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” list. The yearly cost to attend UAGC is $20,987 for California Finance students.
Read more about Finance & Financial Management at UAGC
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend National University. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Finance Schools in California. This fairly large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 14 ’s finance degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at National University, the school also landed the #10 spot in our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend National University is $20,722 for California Finance students.
With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Finance & Financial Management at National University
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend California Lutheran University. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California list. CLU is located in Thousand Oaks, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 ’s finance degrees to qualified students.
CLU also made our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for California Lutheran University is $27,410 for California Finance students.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Finance & Financial Management at California Lutheran University
University of La Verne landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California ranking. University of La Verne is a medium-sized school located in La Verne, California that handed out 30 ’s finance degrees in 2020-2021.
ULV also made our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” list, coming in at #12. The estimated yearly cost for University of La Verne is $28,260 for California Finance students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full University of La Verne Finance & Financial Management Report
University of California - Riverside did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California ranking, coming in at #7. UCR is a large school located in Riverside, California that handed out 39 ’s finance degrees in 2020-2021.
UCR did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” list. It costs about $11,822 for California Finance students per year to attend University of California - Riverside.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Read more about Finance & Financial Management at University of California - Riverside
California State University - San Bernardino ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Finance Schools in California list. CSUSB is a fairly large school located in San Bernardino, California that handed out 6 ’s finance degrees in 2020-2021.
CSUSB not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #19 on our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for California State University - San Bernardino is $8,107 for California Finance students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Finance & Financial Management at California State University - San Bernardino
La Sierra University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Finance Schools in California ranking. La Sierra University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Riverside, California. The school has a small population, and it awarded 13 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
La Sierra not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #14 on our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” list. The estimated yearly cost for La Sierra University is $22,909 for California Finance students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full La Sierra University Finance & Financial Management Report
Fresno Pacific University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Finance Schools in California list. Fresno Pacific University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Fresno, California. It awarded 2 ’s finance degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Fresno Pacific, the school also landed the #18 spot in our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Fresno Pacific is $19,029 for California Finance students.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full Fresno Pacific Finance & Financial Management Report
Point Loma Nazarene University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Finance Schools in California ranking. PLNU is located in San Diego, California and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 25 ’s finance degrees to qualified students.
PLNU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” list. It costs about $34,575 for california finance students per year to attend Point Loma Nazarene University.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Full Point Loma Nazarene University Finance & Financial Management Report
With a ranking of #12, California Baptist University did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California list. California Baptist University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Riverside, California. It awarded 12 ’s finance degrees in 2020-2021.
Cal Baptist also made our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for Cal Baptist is $26,719 for California Finance students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.1%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Finance & Financial Management at California Baptist University
With a ranking of #13, Holy Names University did quite well on the 2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California list. Holy Names University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Oakland, California. It awarded 9 ’s finance degrees in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california finance students list, HNU has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Holy Names University is $22,527 for california finance students.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.
Read full report on Finance & Financial Management at HNU
Menlo College did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California ranking, coming in at #14. Menlo College is a small school located in Atherton, California that handed out 35 ’s finance degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at Menlo, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $27,840 for California Finance students per year to attend Menlo.
Full Menlo College Finance & Financial Management Report
University of San Diego landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California ranking. San Diego, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s finance degrees to 179 students in 2020-2021.
USD also took the #2 spot in our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $34,139 for california finance students per year to attend USD.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.
Read full report on Finance & Financial Management at USD
Loyola Marymount University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Finance Schools in California ranking. Located in Los Angeles, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 117 diplomas to qualified ’s finance students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our california finance students list, Loyola Marymount has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $44,467 for california finance students per year to attend Loyola Marymount University.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Finance & Financial Management at Loyola Marymount University
University of San Francisco ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Finance Schools in California list. University of San Francisco is located in San Francisco, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 102 ’s finance degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our california finance students list, USFCA has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” ranking. It costs about $40,053 for california finance students per year to attend USFCA.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full University of San Francisco Finance & Financial Management Report
Santa Clara University did quite well in the 2024 Best Value Finance Schools in California ranking, coming in at #18. SCU is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Santa Clara, California. It awarded 162 ’s finance degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at SCU, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Santa Clara University is $42,614 for California Finance students.
With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Full SCU Finance & Financial Management Report
Pepperdine University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Value Finance Schools in California list. Located in Malibu, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 26 diplomas to qualified ’s finance students in 2020-2021.
Pepperdine also made our “Best Finance & Financial Management Schools in California” list, coming in at #8. The yearly cost to attend Pepperdine University is $38,846 for california finance students.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 93%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read full report on Finance & Financial Management at Pepperdine
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Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits