2022 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Computer Software & Applications in California (With Aid)

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. 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 Computer Software Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

In 2019-2020, 13,180 people earned their degree in computer software and applications, making the major the 90th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, computer software and applications graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $34,738 and had an average of $32,112 in loans still to pay off.

Across California, there were 1,407 computer software and applications graduates with average earnings and debt of $36,960 and $34,966 respectively. At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 467 computer software and applications graduates with average earnings and debt of $60,281 and $50,119 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Computer Software Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking looked at 4 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in computer software and applications. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent computer software and applications programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

To come up with these rankings, we looked at factors such as the cost to attend the school after aid is awarded and overall quality of the computer software and applications program at the school. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

More Ways to Rank Computer Software & Applications Schools

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Computer Software Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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 Computer Software Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Computer Software Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid.

Top 4 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Computer Software & Applications in California (With Aid)

#1

University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, California

#3 in overall quality

$28,952 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Computer Software Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #1 spot on the list. Located in Santa Cruz, California, this fairly large public school handed out 29 diplomas to qualified masters’s computer software students in 2019-2020.

UC Santa Cruz did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Computer Software & Applications Master’s Degree Schools in California” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UC Santa Cruz are $28,952.

Read more about Computer Software & Applications at UC Santa Cruz

#2

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

#1 in overall quality

$48,715 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Computer Software Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Southern California landed the #2 spot on the list. This large school is located in Los Angeles, California, and it awarded 72 masters’s computer software degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at USC, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best Computer Software & Applications Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Southern California are $48,715, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Computer Software & Applications at USC

#3

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, California

#2 in overall quality

$27,688 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$62,154 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 4 schools in the Best Value Computer Software Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid that were part of this year’s ranking, Academy of Art University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in San Francisco, California, this medium-sized private for-profit school awarded 327 diplomas to qualified masters’s computer software students in 2019-2020.

Academy of Art University also made our “Best Computer Software & Applications Master’s Degree Schools in California” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at Academy of Art University are $27,688, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Computer Software & Applications at Academy of Art University

#4

Art Center College of Design

Pasadena, California

#4 in overall quality

$49,090 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees

$77,715 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Art Center College of Design. The school came in at #4 for the Best Value Computer Software Schools for a Master’s in California For Those Getting Aid. Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 14 masters’s computer software degrees to qualified students.

Art Center College of Design also took the #4 spot in our “Best Computer Software & Applications Master’s Degree Schools in California” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Art Center College of Design are $49,090, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Computer Software & Applications at Art Center College of Design

• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Computer Software & Applications in the Far Western US Region (With Aid)
• Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Computer Software & Applications (With Aid)

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

Footnotes

• *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

• Credit for the banner image above goes to Negative Space.

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