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Education Graduate Salaries in California

Federal earnings data for every California college offering Education, 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
$62,453
10 years after enrollment
Highest-earning school
$92,446
University of California-Berkeley
Schools analyzed
40
in California

Education in California. Special Education has 1% unemployment and 98% of districts report difficulty filling roles. Teacher shortages are the most severe in 30+ years.

Typical career paths: Elementary Teacher, Special Education Teacher, High School Teacher, School Counselor, Principal/Administrator. Median starting salary range: $45,000–$65,000. School choice can swing graduate earnings by 30–60% — which is why we rank by federal data, not prestige.

Top Education schools in California by graduate earnings
Ranked by 10-year median earnings · all schools have a Education program
#School10-yr earningsNet price/yr
1University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
$92,446$13,481
2California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA
$90,768$16,665
3University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA
$84,943$12,470
4Dominican University of California
San Rafael, CA
$84,713$35,333
5University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
$82,511$12,548
6University of California-Davis
Davis, CA
$80,838$14,741
7University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA
$80,735$14,251
8Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA
$72,379$21,413
9California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA
$71,902$11,531
10Chapman University
Orange, CA
$70,070$46,555
11University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA
$68,396$17,890
12University of California-Riverside
Riverside, CA
$67,699$14,304
13National University
San Diego, CA
$67,548$22,878
14Alliant International University-San Diego
San Diego, CA
$66,666
15University of La Verne
La Verne, CA
$65,464$20,161
16California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento, CA
$64,876$9,338
17California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA
$64,403$10,440
18California State University-Chico
Chico, CA
$64,172$14,480
19California State University-Stanislaus
Turlock, CA
$63,188$6,067
20California State University-Fullerton
Fullerton, CA
$62,951$6,555
21American Jewish University
Los Angeles, CA
$61,954
22La Sierra University
Riverside, CA
$61,824$45,566
23California Baptist University
Riverside, CA
$61,504$26,285
24California State University-Fresno
Fresno, CA
$61,244$7,000
25California State University-San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA
$59,977$4,564

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.

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Frequently asked questions

What do Education graduates earn in California?

The median 10-year earnings for Education graduates from California colleges is $62,453, with a range from $36,526 at lower-earning schools to $92,446 at top-earning schools. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Which California school has the highest Education graduate salary?

University of California-Berkeley ranks first among California schools offering Education, with a 10-year median graduate salary of $92,446.

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