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Best Colleges for Economics in California

The best colleges for a Economics degree in California, led by Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley and University of Southern California. Each school is shown with its acceptance rate, tuition, and average SAT so you can weigh Economics programs side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college for Economics in California?

Based on our rankings, Stanford University is the top-ranked college for Economics in California. Other top choices include University of California-Berkeley, University of Southern California, University of California-Los Angeles.

What are the best Economics schools?

The best Economics schools, based on program-specific federal data including median earnings and graduate counts, are Stanford University, University of California-Berkeley, University of Southern California. Our rankings use College Scorecard field-of-study data rather than editorial opinion.

How much does it cost to study Economics?

The average out-of-state tuition among top Economics programs is approximately $46,850 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 Economics degree?

A bachelor's degree in Economics 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 Economics 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 Economics graduates

Among the top 10 ranked Economics programs, the average early-career salary is approximately $93,692 per year. Below are the highest-paying Economics programs based on federal College Scorecard earnings data reported by graduates four years after completion.

  1. 1. Stanford University — Stanford, CA · 3.6% acceptance · SAT 1,553 · $65,910 tuition · 92% grad rate
  2. 2. University of California-Berkeley — Berkeley, CA · 11% acceptance · $50,547 tuition · 93% grad rate
  3. 3. University of Southern California — Los Angeles, CA · 9.8% acceptance · SAT 1,495 · $72,097 tuition · 92% grad rate
  4. 4. University of California-Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA · 9% acceptance · $49,403 tuition · 93% grad rate
  5. 5. Claremont McKenna College — Claremont, CA · 9.6% acceptance · SAT 1,527 · $67,980 tuition · 91% grad rate
  6. 6. Santa Clara University — Santa Clara, CA · 48% acceptance · SAT 1,426 · $61,293 tuition · 88% 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-San Diego — La Jolla, CA · 26.7% acceptance · $50,958 tuition · 86% grad rate
  9. 9. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo — San Luis Obispo, CA · 31.3% acceptance · $34,665 tuition · 86% grad rate
  10. 10. University of California-Davis — Davis, CA · 41.8% acceptance · $50,974 tuition · 86% grad rate
  11. 11. Pomona College — Claremont, CA · 7.1% acceptance · SAT 1,534 · $65,420 tuition · 93% grad rate
  12. 12. Pepperdine University — Malibu, CA · 62.9% acceptance · SAT 1,384 · $69,918 tuition · 83% grad rate
  13. 13. University of California-Santa Cruz — Santa Cruz, CA · 65.8% acceptance · $50,205 tuition · 75% grad rate
  14. 14. Loyola Marymount University — Los Angeles, CA · 45.1% acceptance · SAT 1,359 · $62,357 tuition · 79% grad rate
  15. 15. University of California-Riverside — Riverside, CA · 76.4% acceptance · $49,806 tuition · 76% grad rate
  16. 16. University of San Francisco — San Francisco, CA · 61.7% acceptance · SAT 1,295 · $60,492 tuition · 70% grad rate
  17. 17. San Diego State University — San Diego, CA · 36.2% acceptance · $21,328 tuition · 76% grad rate
  18. 18. Occidental College — Los Angeles, CA · 44.2% acceptance · SAT 1,452 · $66,274 tuition · 81% grad rate
  19. 19. University of California-Merced — Merced, CA · 90.5% acceptance · $49,823 tuition · 69% grad rate
  20. 20. California State University-Fullerton — Fullerton, CA · 90.5% acceptance · $20,070 tuition · 70% grad rate
  21. 21. California State University-Sacramento — Sacramento, CA · 94% acceptance · $20,618 tuition · 56% grad rate
  22. 22. California State University-Northridge — Northridge, CA · 93.5% acceptance · $20,058 tuition · 57% grad rate
  23. 23. San Francisco State University — San Francisco, CA · 96.4% acceptance · $20,550 tuition · 50% grad rate
  24. 24. California State University-Fresno — Fresno, CA · 95.3% acceptance · $19,950 tuition · 57% grad rate
  25. 25. California State University-Long Beach — Long Beach, CA · 46.3% acceptance · $19,950 tuition · 69% grad rate

Best Colleges for Economics in California on PickACampus