2026 Best Value Biostatistics Schools in California

[Biostatistics](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/biomathematics-bioinformatics-computational-biology/biostatistics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for biostatistics students.
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2026 Best Value Biostatistics Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in biostatistics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Biostatistics Schools
Leading the list is University Of California San Diego, our #1 best value for biostatistics in California. Located in the city of La Jolla, University Of California San Diego is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,788, with out-of-state students paying around $47,676. Typical student debt for biostatistics graduates is $19,724. Biostatistics graduates of University Of California San Diego earn a median of $76,592 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 27% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Los Angeles is a great value for students pursuing a degree in biostatistics, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of California Los Angeles is a very large public school located in the city of Los Angeles. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,233, while out-of-state students pay about $46,121. Biostatistics graduates carry a median of $16,097 in student loans. Soon after graduation, biostatistics degree recipients from University Of California Los Angeles generally make around $63,833. That is a strong return on a $16,097 median debt. University Of California Los Angeles admits about 9% of applicants.
University Of California Berkeley came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value biostatistics schools. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,377, with out-of-state students paying around $47,265. Typical student debt for biostatistics graduates is $14,238. Early-career biostatistics graduates make about $70,847. That is a strong return on a $14,238 median debt. The acceptance rate is 11%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Southern California earned it the #4 place for biostatistics. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $71,647. Students borrow a median of $15,625 to complete the biostatistics program here. Biostatistics graduates of University Of Southern California earn a median of $58,044 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 10%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.