Best colleges for Finance and Financial Management Services in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
Santa Clara University, Loyola Marymount University and Menlo College are the top bachelor's Finance and Financial Management Services programs in California by graduate earnings. Santa Clara University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $79,929, College Scorecard. Santa Clara University, University of San Diego and Loyola Marymount University award the most Finance and Financial Management Services degrees in California: 226, 185 and 147 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 40 California colleges offer Finance and Financial Management Services and award 1,085 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Finance and Financial Management Services program prepares students for careers in the dynamic field of finance. This program is ideal for individuals interested in managing financial resources, analyzing investments, and providing…
Top 8 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 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $79,929 | 226 | 88% | $44,094 | $16,201 |
| 2 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $70,542 | 147 | 79% | $36,488 | $19,500 |
| 3 | Menlo College Atherton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,684 | 33 | 54% | $26,655 | $24,500 |
| 4 | University of San Francisco San Francisco Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $64,972 | 44 | 70% | $37,121 | $24,347 |
| 5 | University of San Diego San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $64,819 | 185 | 84% | $26,035 | $23,508 |
| 6 | San Diego State University San Diego Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $53,373 | 1 | 76% | — | $15,000 |
| 7 | California State University - Northridge Northridge Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $48,553 | 9 | 57% | — | $14,000 |
| 8 | California State University - San Bernardino San Bernardino Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $41,467 | 8 | 55% | — | $12,500 |
Colleges awarding the most Finance and Financial Management Services 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 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara Private not-for-profit | 226 | $79,929 |
| 2 | University of San Diego San Diego Private not-for-profit | 185 | $64,819 |
| 3 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 147 | $70,542 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Valley College Valley Glen Public | 49 | Not reported |
| 5 | University of San Francisco San Francisco Private not-for-profit | 44 | $64,972 |
| 6 | University of California-Riverside Riverside Public | 42 | Not reported |
| 7 | Pepperdine University Malibu Private not-for-profit | 40 | Not reported |
| 8 | Menlo College Atherton Private not-for-profit | 33 | $69,684 |
| 9 | National University San Diego Private not-for-profit | 32 | Not reported |
| 10 | Westcliff University Irvine Private for-profit | 29 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 30 California colleges offering Finance and Financial Management Services
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks | Private not-for-profit | 28 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego | Private not-for-profit | 26 |
| Golden Gate University (Degree completion) | San Francisco | Private not-for-profit | 23 |
| Pasadena City College | Pasadena | Public | 20 |
| La Sierra University | Riverside | Private not-for-profit | 17 |
| California Baptist University | Riverside | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| Claremont McKenna College | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 14 |
| Glendale Community College | Glendale | Public | 11 |
| Southwestern College | Chula Vista | Public | 11 |
| California State University - Northridge | Northridge | Public | 9 |
| California State University - San Bernardino | San Bernardino | Public | 8 |
| University of La Verne | La Verne | Private not-for-profit | 8 |
| Laney College | Oakland | Public | 7 |
| San Jose State University | San Jose | Public | 7 |
| Biola University | La Mirada | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| East Los Angeles College | Monterey Park | Public | 4 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College | Woodland Hills | Public | 4 |
| Los Angeles City College | Los Angeles | Public | 4 |
| Santa Ana College | Santa Ana | Public | 4 |
| Santa Barbara City College | Santa Barbara | Public | 4 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa | Public | 4 |
| Lincoln University | Oakland | Private not-for-profit | 3 |
| Fresno Pacific University | Fresno | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Naval Postgraduate School (Graduate only) | Monterey | Public | 2 |
| San Diego Miramar College | San Diego | Public | 2 |
| Fullerton College | Fullerton | Public | 1 |
| Long Beach City College | Long Beach | Public | 1 |
| Rio Hondo College | Whittier | Public | 1 |
| San Diego State University | San Diego | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Financial Managers (SOC 11-3031).
Top skills
What Financial Managers earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Finance and Financial Management Services programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Finance and Financial Management Services degrees?+
Santa Clara University (226 graduates a year), University of San Diego (185 graduates a year) and Loyola Marymount University (147 graduates a year) award the most Finance and Financial Management Services degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 40 California colleges offer Finance and Financial Management Services.
What is the best college for Finance and Financial Management Services in California?+
By graduate earnings, Santa Clara University leads among bachelor's Finance and Financial Management Services programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $79,929, College Scorecard. Loyola Marymount University and Menlo College follow. By degrees awarded, Santa Clara University is the largest, with 226 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Finance and Financial Management Services program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Santa Clara University tops the list at $79,929. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Financial Managers earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Financial Managers in California is $210,490 (median $180,770), across about 93,310 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Finance and Financial Management Services program?+
The Finance and Financial Management Services program prepares students for careers in the dynamic field of finance. This program is ideal for individuals interested in managing financial resources, analyzing investments, and providing…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Financial Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +14.8% growth with around 74,600 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor'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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