# Best Master's Programs in California

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-masters-california

## Methodology

Master's programs in California ranked by graduate outcomes

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

When considering master's programs in California, students and families are looking for options that align with their career goals and financial realities. With an average earnings figure of $74,063 for graduates, these programs can open doors to lucrative opportunities.

The distinction between the strongest programs often comes down to key outcomes. Metrics like earnings potential, graduation rates, debt levels, and mobility provide a clearer picture of what students can expect after graduation. The list below highlights schools that excel in these areas, giving prospective students a solid starting point to evaluate their options.

For instance, Stanford University and Pomona College both have impressive graduation rates, but their earnings tell different stories. Graduates from Stanford earn an average of $124,080, while those from Pomona see earnings closer to $77,779. This difference highlights the importance of weighing outcomes alongside personal preferences as you explore your options.

## Key Findings

- Stanford University graduates earn an average of $124,080.
- California Institute of Technology has a graduation rate of 94%.
- Pomona College's average debt for graduates is $11,782.
- UCLA students face a net price of $12,548.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Stanford University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/stanford-university) | Stanford, CA | 92% | $124,080 | $13,807 | $12,000 | 0.1x |
| 2 | [California Institute of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-institute-of-technology) | Pasadena, CA | 94% | $128,566 | $16,075 | N/A | N/A |
| 3 | [Pomona College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pomona-college) | Claremont, CA | 93% | $77,779 | $19,285 | $11,782 | 0.15x |
| 4 | [Claremont McKenna College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/claremont-mckenna-college) | Claremont, CA | 93% | $104,736 | $28,849 | $13,500 | 0.13x |
| 5 | [University of Southern California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-southern-california) | Los Angeles, CA | 92% | $92,498 | $32,740 | $18,000 | 0.19x |
| 6 | [San Jose State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-jose-state-university) | San Jose, CA | 67% | $78,988 | $13,760 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 7 | [University of California-Berkeley](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-berkeley) | Berkeley, CA | 93% | $92,446 | $13,481 | $13,000 | 0.14x |
| 8 | [Scripps College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/scripps-college) | Claremont, CA | 85% | $77,539 | $36,294 | $13,500 | 0.17x |
| 9 | [Harvey Mudd College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/harvey-mudd-college) | Claremont, CA | 93% | $138,687 | $35,924 | $25,000 | 0.18x |
| 10 | [University of California-San Diego](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-san-diego) | La Jolla, CA | 87% | $84,943 | $12,470 | $15,500 | 0.18x |
| 11 | [University of California-Los Angeles](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles) | Los Angeles, CA | 93% | $82,511 | $12,548 | $14,000 | 0.17x |
| 12 | [San Francisco State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-francisco-state-university) | San Francisco, CA | 50% | $68,077 | $12,278 | $15,371 | 0.23x |
| 13 | [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/santa-clara-university) | Santa Clara, CA | 88% | $109,183 | $50,062 | $19,162 | 0.18x |
| 14 | [University of California-Irvine](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-irvine) | Irvine, CA | 86% | $80,735 | $14,251 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 15 | [California State University Maritime Academy](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-maritime-academy) | Vallejo, CA | 63% | $94,784 | $20,555 | $24,965 | 0.26x |
| 16 | [University of California-Davis](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-davis) | Davis, CA | 85% | $80,838 | $14,741 | $13,000 | 0.16x |
| 17 | [University of the Pacific](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-the-pacific) | Stockton, CA | 68% | $78,445 | $25,447 | $19,500 | 0.25x |
| 18 | [San Diego State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university) | San Diego, CA | 77% | $64,909 | $15,364 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 19 | [Sonoma State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sonoma-state-university) | Rohnert Park, CA | 59% | $65,986 | $12,885 | $16,705 | 0.25x |
| 20 | [Pitzer College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pitzer-college) | Claremont, CA | 83% | $69,512 | $34,191 | $16,750 | 0.24x |
| 21 | [Azusa Pacific University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/azusa-pacific-university) | Azusa, CA | 63% | $66,677 | $22,212 | $23,219 | 0.35x |
| 22 | [University of California-Santa Barbara](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-santa-barbara) | Santa Barbara, CA | 84% | $74,915 | $16,109 | $13,993 | 0.19x |
| 23 | [University of San Diego](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-san-diego) | San Diego, CA | 83% | $86,522 | $30,365 | $22,940 | 0.27x |
| 24 | [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo) | San Luis Obispo, CA | 86% | $90,768 | $16,665 | $18,500 | 0.2x |
| 25 | [Occidental College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/occidental-college) | Los Angeles, CA | 83% | $75,951 | $38,263 | $23,000 | 0.3x |
| 26 | [Fresno Pacific University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fresno-pacific-university) | Fresno, CA | 53% | $58,896 | $13,630 | $23,146 | 0.39x |
| 27 | [California Lutheran University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-lutheran-university) | Thousand Oaks, CA | 72% | $68,712 | $30,109 | $21,669 | 0.32x |
| 28 | [California State University-Fullerton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-fullerton) | Fullerton, CA | 70% | $62,951 | $6,555 | $13,750 | 0.22x |
| 29 | [University of California-Riverside](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-riverside) | Riverside, CA | 76% | $67,699 | $14,304 | $17,500 | 0.26x |
| 30 | [University of California-Merced](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-merced) | Merced, CA | 69% | $64,368 | $11,983 | $16,144 | 0.25x |
| 31 | [Vanguard University of Southern California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/vanguard-university-of-southern-california) | Costa Mesa, CA | 56% | $59,541 | $21,241 | $22,000 | 0.37x |
| 32 | [MiraCosta College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/miracosta-college) | Oceanside, CA | 41% | $43,845 | $7,339 | $9,000 | 0.21x |
| 33 | [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona) | Pomona, CA | 68% | $71,902 | $11,531 | $16,000 | 0.22x |
| 34 | [California State University-Long Beach](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-long-beach) | Long Beach, CA | 69% | $64,403 | $10,440 | $14,289 | 0.22x |
| 35 | [California State University-Stanislaus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-stanislaus) | Turlock, CA | 56% | $63,188 | $6,067 | $13,540 | 0.21x |
| 36 | [University of California-Santa Cruz](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-santa-cruz) | Santa Cruz, CA | 75% | $68,396 | $17,890 | $16,666 | 0.24x |
| 37 | [Saint Mary's College of California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saint-marys-college-of-california) | Moraga, CA | 70% | $78,812 | $30,378 | $23,691 | 0.3x |
| 38 | [University of Redlands](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-redlands) | Redlands, CA | 69% | $72,690 | $30,031 | $26,000 | 0.36x |
| 39 | [Loyola Marymount University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/loyola-marymount-university) | Los Angeles, CA | 79% | $78,349 | $48,381 | $19,500 | 0.25x |
| 40 | [Westmont College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/westmont-college) | Santa Barbara, CA | 70% | $64,778 | $29,053 | $23,250 | 0.36x |
| 41 | [California State University-Sacramento](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-sacramento) | Sacramento, CA | 56% | $64,876 | $9,338 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 42 | [Chapman University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/chapman-university) | Orange, CA | 81% | $70,070 | $46,555 | $20,500 | 0.29x |
| 43 | [Dominican University of California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dominican-university-of-california) | San Rafael, CA | 77% | $84,713 | $35,333 | $27,000 | 0.32x |
| 44 | [Biola University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/biola-university) | La Mirada, CA | 68% | $56,778 | $31,495 | $23,875 | 0.42x |
| 45 | [California State University-San Bernardino](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-san-bernardino) | San Bernardino, CA | 55% | $59,977 | $4,564 | $14,715 | 0.25x |
| 46 | [Point Loma Nazarene University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/point-loma-nazarene-university) | San Diego, CA | 76% | $63,998 | $38,729 | $22,990 | 0.36x |
| 47 | [Pepperdine University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pepperdine-university) | Malibu, CA | 84% | $82,939 | $58,098 | $23,510 | 0.28x |
| 48 | [California State University-Northridge](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-northridge) | Northridge, CA | 57% | $59,115 | $7,021 | $13,872 | 0.23x |
| 49 | [California State University-East Bay](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-east-bay) | Hayward, CA | 47% | $71,401 | $9,320 | $16,544 | 0.23x |
| 50 | [Whittier College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/whittier-college) | Whittier, CA | 62% | $59,492 | $25,757 | $24,937 | 0.42x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Master's Programs in California." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-masters-california

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.