51 colleges · California
Economics colleges in California
51 colleges in California offer a bachelor's degree in economics (29 public). Graduates of the typical program here earned $51,347 a year after graduating, compared with $58,707 nationally.
All economics programs in California
Sorted by earnings four years after graduation. Click a heading to sort.
| College | Graduates (2023-24) | Earnings 1 yr after | Earnings 4 yrs after | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, CA | 120 | $99,125 | $146,524 | $11,750 |
| University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, CA | 677 | $88,608 | $135,050 | $11,337 |
| Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara, CA | 77 | $71,361 | $121,307 | $17,000 |
| Stanford UniversityStanford, CA | 117 | $108,498 | $112,700 | n/a |
| Pepperdine UniversityMalibu, CA | 46 | $48,348 | $104,943 | $17,497 |
| Occidental CollegeLos Angeles, CA | 29 | $48,125 | $103,164 | $15,427 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, CA | 57 | $77,018 | $98,927 | $12,000 |
| University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CA | 702 | $70,608 | $98,178 | $11,528 |
| Pomona CollegeClaremont, CA | 51 | $101,681 | $96,702 | n/a |
| University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA | 864 | $71,426 | $95,440 | $13,000 |
| University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA | 197 | $72,737 | $94,435 | $19,500 |
| University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA | 26 | $71,655 | $93,712 | n/a |
| Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles, CA | 68 | $66,292 | $88,682 | $16,500 |
| University of California-San DiegoLa Jolla, CA | 255 | $56,525 | $87,307 | $13,599 |
| University of California-IrvineIrvine, CA | 381 | $50,385 | $83,937 | $11,253 |
| Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, CA | 26 | $47,235 | $83,668 | n/a |
| California State University-San MarcosSan Marcos, CA | 28 | $56,089 | $83,339 | $17,000 |
| University of California-DavisDavis, CA | 432 | $51,106 | $83,248 | $10,500 |
| San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA | 56 | $51,760 | $82,697 | $18,750 |
| University of the PacificStockton, CA | 7 | n/a | $79,510 | n/a |
| California State University-BakersfieldBakersfield, CA | 11 | $48,678 | $78,029 | n/a |
| University of California-Santa CruzSanta Cruz, CA | 132 | $52,535 | $76,382 | $14,500 |
| San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA | 203 | $49,742 | $74,123 | $14,000 |
| California State University-NorthridgeNorthridge, CA | 79 | $47,399 | $72,890 | $12,500 |
| California State University-Channel IslandsCamarillo, CA | 15 | n/a | $71,662 | n/a |
| California State University-FullertonFullerton, CA | 48 | $51,587 | $71,595 | $14,594 |
| California State University-Long BeachLong Beach, CA | 54 | $46,139 | $71,220 | $13,250 |
| California State University-SacramentoSacramento, CA | 138 | $48,632 | $70,290 | $15,500 |
| California State University-StanislausTurlock, CA | 14 | n/a | $69,967 | n/a |
| University of California-MercedMerced, CA | 17 | $41,777 | $67,692 | $13,375 |
| California State University-ChicoChico, CA | 18 | $50,550 | $67,675 | n/a |
| California State University-East BayHayward, CA | 12 | $55,251 | $67,155 | n/a |
| California State University-FresnoFresno, CA | 33 | $37,621 | $66,749 | $8,208 |
| University of California-RiversideRiverside, CA | 315 | $45,759 | $66,682 | $15,000 |
| California State Polytechnic University-HumboldtArcata, CA | 9 | n/a | $61,175 | n/a |
| California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPomona, CA | 42 | $45,093 | $61,084 | $12,910 |
| California State University-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA | 21 | $50,170 | $54,998 | n/a |
| California State University-San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CA | 21 | $40,091 | $54,060 | n/a |
| University of San DiegoSan Diego, CA | 12 | $70,897 | n/a | $19,250 |
| University of RedlandsRedlands, CA | 11 | $46,613 | n/a | n/a |
| California Lutheran UniversityThousand Oaks, CA | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Concordia University-IrvineIrvine, CA | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Harvey Mudd CollegeClaremont, CA | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| La Sierra UniversityRiverside, CA | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Pitzer CollegeClaremont, CA | 32 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Point Loma Nazarene UniversitySan Diego, CA | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaMoraga, CA | 15 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CA | 86 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Scripps CollegeClaremont, CA | 14 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| University of La VerneLa Verne, CA | 9 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Whittier CollegeWhittier, CA | 5 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Frequently asked questions
How many colleges in California offer economics?
51 colleges in California awarded bachelor's degrees in economics in 2022-23 or 2023-24, 29 of them public.
Where do economics graduates earn the most in California?
Claremont McKenna College, with median earnings of $146,524 four years after graduation (programs with at least 5 graduates).
Economics nationwide · All colleges in California
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field of study file, data release of October 15, 2026. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working, not enrolled. One-year figures: graduates of 2020-21 and 2021-22, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Four-year figures: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. More on the data.