2026 Best Human Resources Development Schools in California

Human Resources Development is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their human resources development programs.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for human resources development students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Human Resources Development Schools in California

Best Schools for Human Resources Development in California

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall human resources development education in California.

Top Schools in Human Resources Development

1

Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

22 Human Resources Development Degrees Awarded

$113,702 Median Starting Salary

Leading the list is Pepperdine University, our #1 school for human resources development. Set in the suburb of Malibu, Pepperdine University is a large private not-for-profit institution. About 83% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 22 human resources development students who graduated with this degree at Pepperdine University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their human resources development degree from Pepperdine University earn around $113,702 in the first couple years of their career. Pepperdine University graduates carry a median of $23,645 in student loans. Read more about the human resources development program at Pepperdine University

2

University Of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

15 Human Resources Development Degrees Awarded

$127,715 Median Starting Salary

University Of San Francisco is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in human resources development, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of San Francisco, University Of San Francisco is a large private not-for-profit institution. University Of San Francisco graduates 70% of students within six years. There were roughly 15 human resources development students who graduated with this degree at University Of San Francisco in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, human resources development degree recipients from University Of San Francisco generally make around $127,715. Students borrow a median of $23,935 to complete this degree. More information about a degree in human resources development from University Of San Francisco

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 3 schools evaluated.

• 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.