2026 Best Value Finance & Financial Management Schools in California
[Finance & Financial Management](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/finance-financial-management/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong finance & financial management education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 51 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for finance & financial management students.
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2026 Best Value Finance & Financial Management Schools in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in finance & financial management, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Finance & Financial Management Schools
Leading the list is California State University Northridge, our #1 best value for finance & financial management in California. Set in the city of Northridge, California State University Northridge is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,458, with out-of-state students paying around $20,058. Students borrow a median of $14,000 to complete the finance & financial management program here. Soon after graduation, finance & financial management degree recipients from California State University Northridge generally make around $48,553. Set against $14,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes Los Angeles City College one of the best values for finance & financial management. Set in the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles City College is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $1,238, while out-of-state students pay about $10,572. Typical student debt for finance & financial management graduates is $10,763. Soon after graduation, finance & financial management degree recipients from Los Angeles City College generally make around $83,699. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in finance & financial management will find it at Los Angeles Valley College, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Valley Glen, Los Angeles Valley College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $1,238 in tuition and fees, compared with $10,572 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for finance & financial management graduates is $10,254. Finance & Financial Management graduates of Los Angeles Valley College earn a median of $81,600 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of California Riverside came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value finance & financial management schools. Set in the city of Riverside, University Of California Riverside is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,636, with out-of-state students paying around $46,524. Students borrow a median of $19,187 to complete the finance & financial management program here. Finance & Financial Management graduates of University Of California Riverside earn a median of $40,040 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,187 median debt. The acceptance rate is 76%.
Students looking for strong value in finance & financial management will find it at California Lutheran University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Thousand Oaks, California Lutheran University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $52,560 in tuition and fees. Finance & Financial Management graduates carry a median of $22,727 in student loans. Soon after graduation, finance & financial management degree recipients from California Lutheran University generally make around $80,356. Set against $22,727 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. California Lutheran University admits about 76% of applicants.
Ashford University earned the #6 position for value in finance & financial management this year. Ashford University is a very large private for-profit school located in the city of San Diego. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,960. Typical student debt for finance & financial management graduates is $31,133. Early-career finance & financial management graduates make about $57,566. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Claremont Mckenna College landed the #7 spot for finance & financial management value this year. Claremont Mckenna College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Claremont. In-state tuition and fees average $67,980. Finance & Financial Management graduates carry a median of $12,000 in student loans. Early-career finance & financial management graduates make about $66,028. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 10% of applicants are accepted.
Menlo College earned the #8 position for value in finance & financial management this year. Located in the suburb of Atherton, Menlo College is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $53,630 in tuition and fees. Finance & Financial Management graduates carry a median of $24,500 in student loans. Finance & Financial Management graduates of Menlo College earn a median of $69,684 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,500 median debt. Menlo College admits about 68% of applicants.
California Baptist University came in at #9 for value in finance & financial management this year. Set in the city of Riverside, California Baptist University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $41,228. Students borrow a median of $28,169 to complete the finance & financial management program here. Early-career finance & financial management graduates make about $51,999. Set against $28,169 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 85%.
National University came in at #10 for value in finance & financial management this year. Located in the city of San Diego, National University is a very large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,284. Finance & Financial Management graduates carry a median of $30,426 in student loans. Soon after graduation, finance & financial management degree recipients from National University generally make around $69,080. That is a strong return on a $30,426 median debt.
University Of San Diego came in at #11 for value in finance & financial management this year. University Of San Diego is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Diego. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $59,486. Finance & Financial Management graduates carry a median of $23,508 in student loans. Early-career finance & financial management graduates make about $64,819. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 52%.
University Of Southern California landed the #12 spot for finance & financial management value this year. Located in the city of Los Angeles, University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $71,647 in tuition and fees. Finance & Financial Management graduates carry a median of $15,625 in student loans. Early-career finance & financial management graduates make about $75,677. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 10%.
University Of San Francisco earned the #13 position for value in finance & financial management this year. University Of San Francisco is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of San Francisco. In-state tuition and fees average $60,522. Typical student debt for finance & financial management graduates is $24,347. Early-career finance & financial management graduates make about $64,972. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 62%.
Pepperdine University ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best value finance & financial management schools. Located in the suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine University is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $69,918. Typical student debt for finance & financial management graduates is $23,645. Early-career finance & financial management graduates make about $57,582. Set against $23,645 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Pepperdine University admits about 63% of applicants.
Loyola Marymount University came in at #15 for value in finance & financial management this year. Set in the city of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $61,867. Students borrow a median of $19,500 to complete the finance & financial management program here. Finance & Financial Management graduates of Loyola Marymount University earn a median of $70,542 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,500 median debt. Loyola Marymount University admits about 45% of applicants.
Point Loma Nazarene University landed the #16 spot for finance & financial management value this year. Located in the city of San Diego, Point Loma Nazarene University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $46,250. Typical student debt for finance & financial management graduates is $22,542. Early-career finance & financial management graduates make about $54,116. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Point Loma Nazarene University admits about 84% of applicants.
Santa Clara University ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best value finance & financial management schools. Located in the city of Santa Clara, Santa Clara University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $61,293. Typical student debt for finance & financial management graduates is $16,201. Soon after graduation, finance & financial management degree recipients from Santa Clara University generally make around $79,929. That is a strong return on a $16,201 median debt. Roughly 48% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 51 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 16 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.
