Best colleges for Business/Managerial Economics in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
Westmont College, Chapman University and University of California-Santa Cruz are the top bachelor's Business/Managerial Economics programs in California by graduate earnings. Westmont College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $54,457, College Scorecard. University of California-Irvine, University of California-Santa Cruz and Westmont College award the most Business/Managerial Economics degrees in California: 361, 258 and 65 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 10 California colleges offer Business/Managerial Economics and award 812 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Business/Managerial Economics program focuses on applying economic methods to enhance organizational decision-making processes. It equips students with the tools to analyze the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and…
Top 5 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westmont College Santa Barbara Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $54,457 | 65 | 70% | $28,035 | $25,000 |
| 2 | Chapman University Orange Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $54,064 | 45 | 82% | $42,965 | $22,977 |
| 3 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Public · Bachelor's degree | $52,029 | 258 | 75% | — | $16,500 |
| 4 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public · Bachelor's degree | $44,277 | 361 | 87% | — | $15,000 |
| 5 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public · Bachelor's degree | $38,967 | 46 | 69% | — | $18,329 |
Colleges awarding the most Business/Managerial Economics degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | 361 | $44,277 |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Public | 258 | $52,029 |
| 3 | Westmont College Santa Barbara Private not-for-profit | 65 | $54,457 |
| 4 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 46 | $38,967 |
| 5 | Chapman University Orange Private not-for-profit | 45 | $54,064 |
| 6 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara Private not-for-profit | 24 | Not reported |
| 7 | Azusa Pacific University Azusa Private not-for-profit | 4 | Not reported |
| 8 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public | 4 | Not reported |
| 9 | California Institute of Technology Pasadena Private not-for-profit | 3 | Not reported |
| 10 | University of Redlands Redlands Private not-for-profit | 2 | Not reported |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Economists (SOC 19-3011).
Top skills
What Economists earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Business/Managerial Economics programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Business/Managerial Economics degrees?+
University of California-Irvine (361 graduates a year), University of California-Santa Cruz (258 graduates a year) and Westmont College (65 graduates a year) award the most Business/Managerial Economics degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 10 California colleges offer Business/Managerial Economics.
What is the best college for Business/Managerial Economics in California?+
By graduate earnings, Westmont College leads among bachelor's Business/Managerial Economics programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $54,457, College Scorecard. Chapman University and University of California-Santa Cruz follow. By degrees awarded, University of California-Irvine is the largest, with 361 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Business/Managerial Economics program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Westmont College tops the list at $54,457. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Economists earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Economists in California is $133,680 (median $119,410), across about 860 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Business/Managerial Economics program?+
The Business/Managerial Economics program focuses on applying economic methods to enhance organizational decision-making processes. It equips students with the tools to analyze the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, mathematics, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Economists?+
The national job outlook is about +1.2% growth with around 900 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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