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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
$66,140
10 years after enrollment
Highest-earning school
$100,212
University of California-Berkeley
Schools analyzed
41
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
$100,212$14,538
2California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA
$96,304$18,832
3University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA
$96,197$14,794
4Dominican University of California
San Rafael, CA
$90,053$35,567
5University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
$88,581$14,659
6University of California-Davis
Davis, CA
$86,999$14,318
7University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA
$83,432$13,866
8Chapman University
Orange, CA
$80,694$46,708
9Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA
$78,572$27,235
10California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA
$77,464$9,404
11University of La Verne
La Verne, CA
$74,115$20,523
12National University
San Diego, CA
$73,988$24,008
13University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA
$73,362$18,549
14University of California-Riverside
Riverside, CA
$72,974$12,672
15California State University-Chico
Chico, CA
$70,012$14,157
16California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA
$69,554$9,426
17California State University-Fullerton
Fullerton, CA
$69,015$5,115
18California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento, CA
$69,014$11,186
19Alliant International University-San Diego
San Diego, CA
$67,985—
20California Baptist University
Riverside, CA
$67,633$24,138
21Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA
$66,140$17,491
22California State University-Stanislaus
Turlock, CA
$65,560$3,565
23La Sierra University
Riverside, CA
$65,403$22,767
24Foothill College
Los Altos Hills, CA
$64,467$2,851
25Biola University
La Mirada, CA
$64,126$32,530

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 $66,140, with a range from $39,944 at lower-earning schools to $100,212 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 $100,212.

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