Best colleges for Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of California-Santa Barbara, University of California-San Diego and California Lutheran University are the top bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods programs in California by graduate earnings. University of California-Santa Barbara leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $66,099, College Scorecard. University of Southern California, University of California-San Diego and University of California-Davis award the most Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods degrees in California: 2,131, 989 and 866 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 40 California colleges offer Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods and award 7,921 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods program focuses on the application of analytical and quantitative techniques to solve complex business problems. This program is ideal for students interested in enhancing their…
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 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Public · Bachelor's degree | $66,099 | 71 | 83% | — | $11,128 |
| 2 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public · Bachelor's degree | $60,973 | 989 | 86% | — | $17,500 |
| 3 | California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $57,276 | 27 | 70% | $23,129 | $24,728 |
| 4 | University of California-Davis Davis Public · Bachelor's degree | $52,684 | 866 | 86% | — | $12,144 |
| 5 | San Francisco State University San Francisco Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $48,546 | 18 | 50% | — | $20,500 |
Colleges awarding the most Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 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 Southern California Los Angeles Private not-for-profit | 2,131 | Not reported |
| 2 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public | 989 | $60,973 |
| 3 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 866 | $52,684 |
| 4 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles Public | 861 | Not reported |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley Public | 542 | Not reported |
| 6 | Stanford University Stanford Private not-for-profit | 534 | Not reported |
| 7 | University of California-Irvine Irvine Public | 306 | Not reported |
| 8 | University of California-Merced Merced Public | 200 | Not reported |
| 9 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public | 151 | Not reported |
| 10 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara Private not-for-profit | 113 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 30 California colleges offering Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-Riverside | Riverside | Public | 103 |
| California State Polytechnic University - Pomona | Pomona | Public | 93 |
| Naval Postgraduate School (Graduate only) | Monterey | Public | 87 |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu | Private not-for-profit | 86 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco | Private not-for-profit | 85 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles | Private not-for-profit | 83 |
| Claremont Graduate University (Graduate only) | Claremont | Private not-for-profit | 81 |
| University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | Public | 71 |
| Golden Gate University (Degree completion) | San Francisco | Private not-for-profit | 71 |
| Chapman University | Orange | Private not-for-profit | 68 |
| Westcliff University | Irvine | Private for-profit | 60 |
| San Diego State University | San Diego | Public | 44 |
| California State University - Long Beach | Long Beach | Public | 43 |
| Saint Mary's College of California | Moraga | Private not-for-profit | 43 |
| San Jose State University | San Jose | Public | 33 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael | Private not-for-profit | 32 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks | Private not-for-profit | 27 |
| University of Redlands | Redlands | Private not-for-profit | 27 |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco | Public | 18 |
| Alliant International University - San Diego (Online) | San Diego | Private for-profit | 14 |
| California College of the Arts | San Francisco | Private not-for-profit | 12 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| University of San Diego | San Diego | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| William Jessup University | Rocklin | Private not-for-profit | 10 |
| San Diego Global Knowledge University | San Diego | Private for-profit | 7 |
| California State University - San Bernardino | San Bernardino | Public | 4 |
| Whittier College | Whittier | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| University of the West | Rosemead | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| California Baptist University | Riverside | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
| Notre Dame de Namur University | Belmont | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).
Top skills
What General and Operations Managers earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods degrees?+
University of Southern California (2,131 graduates a year), University of California-San Diego (989 graduates a year) and University of California-Davis (866 graduates a year) award the most Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 40 California colleges offer Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods.
What is the best college for Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods in California?+
By graduate earnings, University of California-Santa Barbara leads among bachelor's Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $66,099, College Scorecard. University of California-San Diego and California Lutheran University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Southern California is the largest, with 2,131 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of California-Santa Barbara tops the list at $66,099. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do General and Operations Managers earn in California?+
The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in California is $152,250 (median $124,390), across about 300,840 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods program?+
The Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods program focuses on the application of analytical and quantitative techniques to solve complex business problems. This program is ideal for students interested in enhancing their…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, monitoring, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+
The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 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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