Best value colleges for Business in California.2026 Rankings
With 97 Business 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 14 public and 16 private Business programs in this ranking. Public universities average $29,637 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 Business graduates average $40,656, with a state-wide graduation rate of 71% 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 | Excellent· 45 | 10% | 92% | $18,993 | $71,668 | 9:1 | 83 | 20,817 | |
| 2 | Excellent· 43 | 30% | 85% | $11,372 | $71,876 | 18:1 | 78 | 21,521 | |
| 3 | University of San DiegoPrivate | Great· 41 | 47% | 82% | $19,998 | $51,056 | 14:1 | 43 | 5,619 |
| 4 | Great· 40 | 12% | 93% | $11,424 | $90,008 | 18:1 | 80 | 33,073 | |
| 5 | Great· 40 | 26% | 86% | $11,769 | $48,786 | 18:1 | 71 | 29,494 | |
| 6 | Fresno Pacific UniversityPrivate | Great· 39 | 58% | 56% | $11,116 | $55,365 | 8:1 | 62 | 1,614 |
| 7 | Great· 38 | 47% | 70% | $9,063 | $45,751 | 19:1 | 84 | 34,131 | |
| 8 | Great· 38 | 63% | 77% | $12,449 | $43,213 | 23:1 | 60 | 22,644 | |
| 9 | Pacific CollegePrivate | Strong· 37 | 50% | 76% | $21,438 | $61,130 | 7:1 | 4 | 285 |
| 10 | University of RedlandsPrivate | Strong· 37 | 81% | 71% | $20,649 | $60,755 | 11:1 | 38 | 2,095 |
| 11 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 56% | 80% | $39,414 | $55,657 | 12:1 | 54 | 7,629 |
| 12 | Concordia University-IrvinePrivate | Strong· 36 | 60% | 63% | $25,220 | $37,660 | 13:1 | 27 | 1,456 |
| 13 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 40% | 80% | $32,869 | $43,152 | 11:1 | 50 | 7,171 |
| 14 | Pepperdine UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 50% | 85% | $40,201 | $69,751 | 13:1 | 43 | 3,629 |
| 15 | Strong· 36 | 34% | 78% | $14,205 | $46,275 | 22:1 | 79 | 33,654 | |
| 16 | William Jessup UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 77% | 61% | $18,555 | $43,349 | 9:1 | 28 | 1,021 |
| 17 | Strong· 35 | 69% | 53% | $25,413 | $53,565 | 11:1 | 52 | 1,746 | |
| 18 | Pacific States UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | — | 100% | $9,810 | — | 7:1 | 2 | 17 |
| 19 | Strong· 35 | 39% | 69% | $11,594 | $46,378 | 21:1 | 27 | 8,372 | |
| 20 | Strong· 35 | 65% | 56% | $17,411 | $58,539 | 16:1 | 27 | 1,975 | |
| 21 | Azusa Pacific UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 79% | 64% | $20,848 | $47,681 | 10:1 | 48 | 2,977 |
| 22 | Biola UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 60% | 69% | $25,038 | $36,740 | 14:1 | 48 | 3,390 |
| 23 | Strong· 34 | 89% | 74% | $23,759 | $55,234 | 13:1 | 38 | 2,374 | |
| 24 | Strong· 34 | 80% | 65% | $12,948 | $58,993 | 18:1 | 90 | 26,757 | |
| 25 | Good· 33 | 74% | 67% | $11,196 | $46,581 | 23:1 | 60 | 24,271 | |
| 26 | Good· 33 | 88% | 49% | $6,183 | $38,105 | 16:1 | 40 | 8,183 | |
| 27 | Good· 33 | 93% | 53% | $9,293 | $47,581 | 15:1 | 27 | 5,230 | |
| 28 | Good· 33 | 91% | 47% | $4,942 | $43,905 | 18:1 | 59 | 12,642 | |
| 29 | Good· 33 | 87% | 69% | $5,438 | $48,256 | 22:1 | 60 | 36,956 | |
| 30 | Good· 33 | 97% | 58% | $6,347 | $43,872 | 16:1 | 38 | 8,564 |