2026 Best Value Operations Research Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in operations research, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Operations Research Schools
University Of California Berkeley tops our 2026 list of the best value operations research schools in California. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,377, with out-of-state students paying around $47,265. Operations Research graduates carry a median of $14,238 in student loans. Operations Research graduates of University Of California Berkeley earn a median of $88,685 early in their careers. Set against $14,238 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Southern California earned it the #2 place for operations research. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $71,647. Students borrow a median of $15,625 to complete the operations research program here. Soon after graduation, operations research degree recipients from University Of Southern California generally make around $75,677. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 10%.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
[Operations Research](/majors/engineering/operations-research/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
