Home / Colleges / Business salary in California

Business Graduate Salaries in California

Federal earnings data for every California college offering Business, ranked by 10-year median graduate salary. Sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard — real tax-reported income, not surveys.

Median earnings
$64,403
10 years after enrollment
Highest-earning school
$128,566
California Institute of Technology
Schools analyzed
59
in California

Business in California. Business is the most popular bachelor's major in the U.S. (~20% of all degrees), but graduate outcomes vary by 3-4x depending on school. The right school choice matters more here than in almost any other major.

Typical career paths: Financial Analyst, Marketing Manager, Management Consultant, Investment Banker, Operations Manager. Median starting salary range: $55,000–$95,000. School choice can swing graduate earnings by 30–60% — which is why we rank by federal data, not prestige.

Top Business schools in California by graduate earnings
Ranked by 10-year median earnings · all schools have a Business program
#School10-yr earningsNet price/yr
1California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
$128,566$16,075
2Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA
$104,736$28,849
3California State University Maritime Academy
Vallejo, CA
$94,784$20,555
4Northeastern University Oakland
Oakland, CA
$92,538$25,181
5University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
$92,446$13,481
6California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA
$90,768$16,665
7Golden Gate University
San Francisco, CA
$87,434
8University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA
$84,943$12,470
9Dominican University of California
San Rafael, CA
$84,713$35,333
10University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
$82,511$12,548
11University of California-Davis
Davis, CA
$80,838$14,741
12University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA
$80,735$14,251
13Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA
$78,349$48,381
14Menlo College
Atherton, CA
$76,419$31,100
15University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA
$74,915$16,109
16Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA
$72,379$21,413
17California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA
$71,902$11,531
18California State University-East Bay
Hayward, CA
$71,401$9,320
19Chapman University
Orange, CA
$70,070$46,555
20Newschool of Architecture and Design
San Diego, CA
$68,891$52,570
21California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, CA
$68,712$30,109
22University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA
$68,396$17,890
23University of California-Riverside
Riverside, CA
$67,699$14,304
24National University
San Diego, CA
$67,548$22,878
25Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, CA
$66,677$22,212

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are 10-year median income for graduates of each institution (all majors, since program-level earnings are released only for select fields). Refreshed every 24 hours.

Get personalized Business school matches

Take the 3-minute fit quiz — we'll rank these schools (and the rest of the country) by your GPA, budget, and priorities, then email your top 5 with estimated net price after aid.

Free 8-page FAFSA 2026 checklist when you sign up

Frequently asked questions

What do Business graduates earn in California?

The median 10-year earnings for Business graduates from California colleges is $64,403, with a range from $36,526 at lower-earning schools to $128,566 at top-earning schools. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Which California school has the highest Business graduate salary?

California Institute of Technology ranks first among California schools offering Business, with a 10-year median graduate salary of $128,566.

How is "graduate salary" measured?

These figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. They reflect actual federal tax-reported income of all graduates 10 years after enrollment — including those who pursued graduate school and those who took industry jobs. They are not survey-based.

Are these salaries adjusted for cost of living?

No. These are raw federal earnings figures. California salaries should be considered in context of local cost of living. For example, $90,000 in California has different purchasing power than $90,000 in North Carolina.

Disclaimer: DecideMyCampus is an independent information aggregation service — not a licensed counselor, advisor, or educational consultant. All data is sourced from publicly available U.S. federal databases (College Scorecard, IPEDS) and is provided for informational purposes only. We do not promote or endorse any institution. Rankings are algorithmic outputs based on federal data — not professional evaluations or guarantees of outcomes. We are not responsible for any college admission, financial, or enrollment decision made using this site. Always verify information directly with institutions and consult licensed professionals. Full Terms · Privacy · Cookies