Best value colleges for Accounting in California.2026 Rankings
With 44 Accounting programs spread across California, narrowing your list takes real data. Our algorithm ranks each school on six factors — admission rate, graduation rate, net price, median graduate earnings, student-faculty ratio, and major breadth — so you can compare apples to apples before you apply.
California offers 10 public and 20 private Accounting programs in this ranking. Public universities average $38,269 for in-state students, making them a strong value option. The most competitive school on the list — University of Southern California — accepts 10% of applicants. Early-career earnings for Accounting graduates average $38,565, with a state-wide graduation rate of 69% for ranked programs.
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ranked by value score
| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Claremont McKenna CollegePrivate | Elite· 48 | 11% | 95% | $14,929 | $68,541 | 8:1 | 43 | 1,379 |
| 2 | Excellent· 45 | 10% | 92% | $18,993 | $73,903 | 9:1 | 83 | 20,817 | |
| 3 | Scripps CollegePrivate | Excellent· 42 | 34% | 87% | $22,440 | $37,612 | 11:1 | 48 | 1,077 |
| 4 | University of San DiegoPrivate | Great· 41 | 47% | 82% | $19,998 | $69,240 | 14:1 | 43 | 5,619 |
| 5 | Santa Clara UniversityPrivate | Great· 40 | 44% | 88% | $41,599 | $78,417 | 10:1 | 45 | 6,235 |
| 6 | Fresno Pacific UniversityPrivate | Great· 39 | 58% | 56% | $11,116 | $42,313 | 8:1 | 62 | 1,614 |
| 7 | Great· 38 | 47% | 70% | $9,063 | $54,315 | 19:1 | 84 | 34,131 | |
| 8 | University of RedlandsPrivate | Strong· 37 | 81% | 71% | $20,649 | $67,359 | 11:1 | 38 | 2,095 |
| 9 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 56% | 80% | $39,414 | $70,362 | 12:1 | 54 | 7,629 |
| 10 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 40% | 80% | $32,869 | $70,960 | 11:1 | 50 | 7,171 |
| 11 | Pepperdine UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 50% | 85% | $40,201 | $49,653 | 13:1 | 43 | 3,629 |
| 12 | Strong· 36 | 34% | 78% | $14,205 | $57,157 | 22:1 | 79 | 33,654 | |
| 13 | Strong· 35 | 69% | 53% | $25,413 | $60,763 | 11:1 | 52 | 1,746 | |
| 14 | Strong· 35 | 65% | 56% | $17,411 | $69,240 | 16:1 | 27 | 1,975 | |
| 15 | Azusa Pacific UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 79% | 64% | $20,848 | $50,824 | 10:1 | 48 | 2,977 |
| 16 | Biola UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 60% | 69% | $25,038 | $65,246 | 14:1 | 48 | 3,390 |
| 17 | Strong· 34 | 89% | 74% | $23,759 | $72,696 | 13:1 | 38 | 2,374 | |
| 18 | Strong· 34 | 80% | 65% | $12,948 | $58,993 | 18:1 | 90 | 26,757 | |
| 19 | Good· 33 | 91% | 47% | $4,942 | $37,973 | 18:1 | 59 | 12,642 | |
| 20 | University of San FranciscoPrivate | Good· 33 | 51% | 71% | $34,211 | $72,588 | 12:1 | 44 | 5,697 |
| 21 | Good· 32 | 96% | 55% | $7,220 | $46,555 | 18:1 | 83 | 21,070 | |
| 22 | Good· 32 | 98% | 55% | $6,381 | $34,196 | 19:1 | 63 | 15,771 | |
| 23 | La Sierra UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 93% | 68% | $25,297 | $33,651 | 11:1 | 50 | 1,155 |
| 24 | Good· 32 | 89% | 69% | $24,408 | $66,628 | 10:1 | 53 | 2,024 | |
| 25 | Woodbury UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 73% | 55% | $25,615 | $39,998 | 9:1 | 21 | 825 |
| 26 | Good· 31 | 96% | 50% | $12,916 | $60,607 | 16:1 | 86 | 20,033 | |
| 27 | University of the PacificPrivate | Good· 31 | 95% | 68% | $20,169 | $51,476 | 14:1 | 55 | 3,247 |
| 28 | Good· 30 | 94% | 64% | $13,937 | $42,772 | 20:1 | 83 | 13,057 | |
| 29 | Good· 30 | 93% | 56% | $8,897 | $68,904 | 21:1 | 76 | 32,357 | |
| 30 | Good· 30 | 96% | 54% | $9,980 | $63,366 | 21:1 | 47 | 14,174 |