When pursuing a college degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its Best Bachelor's Degree Colleges in California ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.
We analyzed 94 colleges and universities across California to determine which ones have the best bachelor's degree programs. Our ranking for the best schools is based on objective factors. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another. The following gives more info on what goes into our ranking factors and why we consider those factors.
Early-Career Salaries Are Higher
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of bachelor's graduates during the early years of their career. A bachelor's degree holder from a school in California makes an average starting salary of $39,566, but the students who attended schools in the top 24 of our list make an average of $54,274.
Starting Salary ( 18717 to 70264 )
Average Student Debt
In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that students take on while pursuing their bachelor's degree.
During their time at college, bachelor's degree seekers from schools in California take out an average of $21,995.
The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
Other Ranking Factors in Our Methodology
In addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt loads, we also look at a host of other factors to determining our Best Bachelor's Degree Schools ranking.
Several other factors - such as how much the school spends on educational resources, the demand of the school, the availability of online learning options, and the student body caliber - go into our rankings.
If you'd rather work on your bachelor's degree in a specific area of the country, you might be interested in our rankings by place. Also, check out our other college rankings to help you with your college decision.
Our 2024 rankings named Stanford University the best school in California in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Stanford, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 1,511 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Stanford go into careers with an average salary of $60,327 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $9,768 in student loans.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Southern California helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in California. USC is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Los Angeles, California. It awarded 5,745 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from USC is $48,471 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $15,231. Average monthly loan payments are around $489 for a 10-year repayment plan.
A rank of #3 on our Best Bachelor’s Degree in California list means Claremont McKenna College is a great place for students working on their degree. Claremont McKenna College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Claremont, California that handed out 431 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna is $95,566 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $15,000.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of California - Berkeley helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in California. This large public school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 10,523 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley make an average of $48,418 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $14,272. Average monthly loan payments are around $323 for a 10-year repayment plan.
A rank of #5 on our Best Bachelor’s Degree in California list means University of California - Los Angeles is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Los Angeles, California, the large public school awarded 10,102 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,227 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $16,264. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $278.
With a ranking of #6, California Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. California Institute of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school located in Pasadena, California that handed out 227 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Caltech go into careers with an average salary of $129,693 during the early years of their career.
Foothill College landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Foothill College is a fairly large public school located in Los Altos Hills, California that handed out 72 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $20,196 after getting their degree.
University of California - San Diego came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. UCSD is located in La Jolla, California and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 9,086 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from UCSD make an average of $39,824 a year. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $17,574 after getting their degree. This translates to an average monthly payment of $242 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
Harvey Mudd College landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Claremont, California is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 197 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from Harvey Mudd College make an average of $108,087 a year. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $21,524 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $429.
University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #10 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. UCSB is a large public school situated in Santa Barbara, California. It awarded 7,001 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UCSB is $38,377 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $17,158 after getting their degree. This translates to an average monthly payment of $287 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
University of California - Davis came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. UC Davis is a large public school situated in Davis, California. It awarded 9,846 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from UC Davis make an average of $37,679 a year. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $14,114 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $281.
Santa Clara University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking, coming in at #12. Located in Santa Clara, California, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 1,656 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $56,652 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $21,330. Average monthly loan payments are around $657 for a 10-year repayment plan.
University of California - Irvine did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking, coming in at #13. UC Irvine is a public institution located in Irvine, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 9,882 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UC Irvine go into careers with an average salary of $36,937 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $17,270 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $209.
Pomona College did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Claremont, California, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 395 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Pomona make an average of $88,888 per year during the early years of their career.
Golden Gate University - San Francisco ranked #15 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Golden Gate University - San Francisco is a small private not-for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 140 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $67,879 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $35,417 in student loans.
California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo ranked #16 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, the large public school handed out 5,421 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is $50,611 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $19,298 after getting their degree. This translates to an average monthly payment of $377 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Located in Santa Cruz, California, the fairly large public school handed out 5,426 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $35,256 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $19,628 after getting their degree. This translates to an average monthly payment of $285 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
Loyola Marymount University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking, coming in at #18. Loyola Marymount is located in Los Angeles, California and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,856 bachelor’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount is $40,822 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $22,768 after getting their degree. Average monthly loan payments are around $821 for a 10-year repayment plan.
With a ranking of #19, San Diego State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. SDSU is a large public school situated in San Diego, California. It awarded 8,719 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from SDSU go into careers with an average salary of $38,869 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $17,195 after getting their degree. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $251.
University of San Francisco landed the #20 spot on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. USFCA is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in San Francisco, California. It awarded 1,682 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from USFCA make an average of $47,755 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $24,357 in student loans. If the student is repaying the loan over 10 years, the average monthly payment is $653.
Chapman University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Orange, California, the fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 1,944 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Chapman make an average of $34,820 per year during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students carry an average student debt load of about $22,394 after getting their degree. This translates to an average monthly payment of $449 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
San Jose State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. San Jose State University is a large public school located in San Jose, California that handed out 7,192 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from San Jose State make an average of $48,204 a year.
With a ranking of #23, California State University - Long Beach did quite well on the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California list. Long Beach, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 9,179 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, bachelor’s degree graduates from CSULB make an average of $37,279 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $16,026.
Pepperdine University did quite well in the 2024 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking, coming in at #24. Pepperdine University is a fairly large private not-for-profit school located in Malibu, California that handed out 1,024 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $40,010 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by bachelor’s students is $24,035. This translates to an average monthly payment of $597 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
University of California - Riverside came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in California ranking. Located in Riverside, California, the large public school awarded 6,193 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $30,925 during the early years of their career. Bachelor’s students leave the school with an average of $19,920 in student loans. Average monthly loan payments are around $150 for a 10-year repayment plan.
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%.
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