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Best Colleges for Business Administration in California

The best colleges for a Business Administration degree in California, led by University of Southern California, University of California-Berkeley and California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. Each school is shown with its acceptance rate, tuition, and average SAT so you can weigh Business Administration programs side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college for Business Administration in California?

Based on our rankings, University of Southern California is the top-ranked college for Business Administration in California. Other top choices include University of California-Berkeley, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, University of California-San Diego.

What are the best Business Administration schools?

The best Business Administration schools, based on program-specific federal data including median earnings and graduate counts, are University of Southern California, University of California-Berkeley, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. Our rankings use College Scorecard field-of-study data rather than editorial opinion.

How much does it cost to study Business Administration?

The average out-of-state tuition among top Business Administration programs is approximately $50,293 per year. However, costs vary significantly — many schools offer generous financial aid packages that can reduce the effective cost.

How long does it take to get a Business Administration degree?

A bachelor's degree in Business Administration typically takes four years of full-time study. Some programs offer accelerated tracks or combined bachelor's-to-master's options that can extend or shorten the timeline.

How are these Business Administration rankings determined?

Our major rankings are independently calculated from U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study (CIP) data — primarily median earnings 4 years after graduation and program scale (graduate count), with a 10+ annual graduates minimum per program. They are not derived from US News or any other publication.

Career outcomes for Business Administration graduates

Among the top 10 ranked Business Administration programs, the average early-career salary is approximately $84,420 per year. Below are the highest-paying Business Administration programs based on federal College Scorecard earnings data reported by graduates four years after completion.

  1. 1. University of Southern California — Los Angeles, CA · 9.8% acceptance · SAT 1,495 · $72,097 tuition · 92% grad rate
  2. 2. University of California-Berkeley — Berkeley, CA · 11% acceptance · $50,547 tuition · 93% grad rate
  3. 3. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo — San Luis Obispo, CA · 31.3% acceptance · $34,665 tuition · 86% grad rate
  4. 4. University of California-San Diego — La Jolla, CA · 26.7% acceptance · $50,958 tuition · 86% grad rate
  5. 5. University of California-Davis — Davis, CA · 41.8% acceptance · $50,974 tuition · 86% grad rate
  6. 6. University of California-Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA · 9% acceptance · $49,403 tuition · 93% grad rate
  7. 7. University of California-Santa Barbara — Santa Barbara, CA · 33% acceptance · $50,614 tuition · 83% grad rate
  8. 8. University of California-Santa Cruz — Santa Cruz, CA · 65.8% acceptance · $50,205 tuition · 75% grad rate
  9. 9. Santa Clara University — Santa Clara, CA · 48% acceptance · SAT 1,426 · $61,293 tuition · 88% grad rate
  10. 10. University of California-Riverside — Riverside, CA · 76.4% acceptance · $49,806 tuition · 76% grad rate
  11. 11. Loyola Marymount University — Los Angeles, CA · 45.1% acceptance · SAT 1,359 · $62,357 tuition · 79% grad rate
  12. 12. Pepperdine University — Malibu, CA · 62.9% acceptance · SAT 1,384 · $69,918 tuition · 83% grad rate
  13. 13. Chapman University — Orange, CA · 65.4% acceptance · SAT 1,357 · $64,984 tuition · 82% grad rate
  14. 14. University of San Francisco — San Francisco, CA · 61.7% acceptance · SAT 1,295 · $60,492 tuition · 70% grad rate
  15. 15. University of San Diego — San Diego, CA · 52.4% acceptance · $59,486 tuition · 84% grad rate
  16. 16. Biola University — La Mirada, CA · 74.4% acceptance · SAT 1,261 · $48,984 tuition · 68% grad rate
  17. 17. San Diego State University — San Diego, CA · 36.2% acceptance · $21,328 tuition · 76% grad rate
  18. 18. University of California-Merced — Merced, CA · 90.5% acceptance · $49,823 tuition · 69% grad rate
  19. 19. California State University-Fullerton — Fullerton, CA · 90.5% acceptance · $20,070 tuition · 70% grad rate
  20. 20. University of the Pacific — Stockton, CA · 71.3% acceptance · SAT 1,346 · $57,080 tuition · 69% grad rate
  21. 21. Pitzer College — Claremont, CA · 25.2% acceptance · $65,192 tuition · 83% grad rate
  22. 22. San Jose State University — San Jose, CA · 84.6% acceptance · $21,010 tuition · 69% grad rate
  23. 23. Scripps College — Claremont, CA · 38.3% acceptance · SAT 1,492 · $65,950 tuition · 83% grad rate
  24. 24. University of La Verne — La Verne, CA · 71.2% acceptance · SAT 1,083 · $49,470 tuition · 63% grad rate
  25. 25. California State University-Sacramento — Sacramento, CA · 94% acceptance · $20,618 tuition · 56% grad rate

Best Colleges for Business Administration in California on PickACampus