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2026 Best Value General Operations Research Schools in California

[General Operations Research](/majors/engineering/operations-research/general-operations-research/) 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 3 schools to find the best return on investment for general operations research students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value General Operations Research Schools in California

2026 Best Value General Operations Research Schools in California

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general operations research, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value General Operations Research Schools

1

University Of California Berkeley
Berkeley, CA

$15,377 In-State Tuition & Fees

$14,238 Avg Student Debt

$92,446 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of California Berkeley tops our 2026 list of the best value general operations research schools in California. Set in the city of Berkeley, University Of California Berkeley is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,377, compared with $47,265 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,238 to complete the general operations research program here. Early-career general operations research graduates make about $88,685. That is a strong return on a $14,238 median debt. Roughly 11% of applicants are accepted.

2

University Of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA

$71,647 In-State Tuition & Fees

$15,625 Avg Student Debt

$92,498 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Southern California earned it the #2 place for general operations research. 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 general operations research program here. Soon after graduation, general operations research degree recipients from University Of Southern California generally make around $75,677. Set against $15,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 10%.

View All General Operations Research Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.