2026 Best Value General Genetics Schools in California

[General Genetics](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/genetics/genetics-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general genetics schools.
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2026 Best Value General Genetics Schools in California
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general genetics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Genetics Schools
University Of California Irvine tops our 2026 list of the best value general genetics schools in California. Located in the city of Irvine, University Of California Irvine is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,752, with out-of-state students paying around $46,640. Typical student debt for general genetics graduates is $16,539. Soon after graduation, general genetics degree recipients from University Of California Irvine generally make around $50,958. That is a strong return on a $16,539 median debt. Roughly 29% of applicants are accepted.
University Of California Davis is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general genetics, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,804, with out-of-state students paying around $47,692. Typical student debt for general genetics graduates is $14,293. General Genetics graduates of University Of California Davis earn a median of $41,334 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,293 median debt. The acceptance rate is 42%.
Students looking for strong value in general genetics will find it at Southern California University Of Health Sciences, which ranked #3. Located in the suburb of Whittier, Southern California University Of Health Sciences is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,390. Typical student debt for general genetics graduates is $20,378. Early-career general genetics graduates make about $48,442. Set against $20,378 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.