Best colleges for economics in California
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in economics, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for economics in California54 schools
54 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in California.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in economics, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in California
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- 2
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 3
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 4
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 5Tie
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 5Tie
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade B · Top 46%
- 7
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 8
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade C+
- 9
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 10
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 11
Scripps College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 12
Pitzer College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade B-
- 13
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · PublicHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 14
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade B-
- 15
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 16
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 17
Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade C+
- 18
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 9% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade C+
- 19
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 20
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade C+
- 21
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade B
- 22
University of the Pacific
Stockton, CA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade B+ · Top 25%
- 23
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA · PublicExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 24
University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA · PublicTop 14% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade A · Top 7%
- 25
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in economics
- Value grade C+
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology | About $16,000 | — | $128,566 | 94% |
| Stanford University | About $14,000 | $12,000 | $124,080 | 92% |
| Pomona College | About $19,000 | $11,782 | $77,779 | 93% |
| Claremont McKenna College | About $29,000 | $13,500 | $104,736 | 91% |
| University of California-Berkeley | About $13,000 | $13,000 | $92,446 | 93% |
| University of Southern California | About $33,000 | $18,000 | $92,498 | 92% |
| University of California-Los Angeles | About $13,000 | $14,000 | $82,511 | 93% |
| Harvey Mudd College | About $36,000 | $25,000 | $138,687 | 92% |
| University of California-San Diego | About $12,000 | $15,500 | $84,943 | 86% |
| University of California-Irvine | About $14,000 | $15,000 | $80,735 | 87% |
| Scripps College | About $36,000 | $13,500 | $77,539 | 83% |
| Pitzer College | About $34,000 | $16,750 | $69,512 | 83% |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | About $17,000 | $18,500 | $90,768 | 86% |
| Santa Clara University | About $50,000 | $19,162 | $109,183 | 88% |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | About $16,000 | $13,993 | $74,915 | 83% |
| University of California-Davis | About $15,000 | $13,000 | $80,838 | 86% |
| Occidental College | About $38,000 | $23,000 | $75,951 | 81% |
| Loyola Marymount University | About $48,000 | $19,500 | $78,349 | 79% |
| San Diego State University | About $15,000 | $15,000 | $64,909 | 76% |
| Pepperdine University | About $58,000 | $23,510 | $82,939 | 83% |
| University of San Diego | About $30,000 | $22,940 | $86,522 | 84% |
| University of the Pacific | About $25,000 | $19,500 | $78,445 | 69% |
| California State University-Long Beach | About $10,000 | $14,289 | $64,403 | 69% |
| University of California-Santa Cruz | About $18,000 | $16,666 | $68,396 | 75% |
| University of San Francisco | About $41,000 | $23,000 | $89,812 | 70% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 8
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 8
- Colorado 14
- Connecticut 18
- District of Columbia 8
- Florida 22
- Georgia 15
- Hawaii 3
- Idaho 4
- Illinois 34
- Indiana 25
- Iowa 17
- Kansas 10
- Kentucky 13
- Louisiana 4
- Maine 5
- Maryland 15
- Massachusetts 39
- Michigan 24
- Minnesota 21
- Mississippi 5
- Missouri 18
- Nebraska 7
- New Hampshire 6
- New Jersey 18
- New York 73
- North Carolina 25
- North Dakota 3
- Ohio 41
- Oklahoma 7
- Oregon 14
- Pennsylvania 53
- Rhode Island 7
- South Carolina 12
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 16
- Texas 24
- Utah 7
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 27
- Washington 13
- West Virginia 7
- Wisconsin 19