US College Programs

California Colleges and Majors, Ranked by Graduate Pay and Debt

  • 2,386 programs report first-year pay
  • 307 schools with program pages
  • 114 field rankings

College Scorecard June 2026 release ยท BEA price parities 2024

The short answer

The median California bachelor's program pays its graduates $37,132 in their first year, $2,910 less than the national median. Of the 87 bachelor's fields ranked in California, nursing pays the most ($102,324) and theatre the least ($20,538). The median bachelor's program leaves its graduates with $18,093 in federal debt, compared with $25,000 nationally.

Median first-year pay, bachelor's$37,132Across 1,683 programs. National $40,042
Median pay after 5 years, bachelor's$64,330Across 1,653 programs. National $57,933
Median federal debt, bachelor's$18,093Across 1,738 programs. National $25,000
Prices compared with the US11% higherBEA price level 110.7, US average 100

Pay and debt by credential

Medians across every California program at each credential that reports the figure, next to the national median.

Bachelor's fields in California, ranked

Each row is one field's median across its California bachelor's programs. Field names link to the full ranking of those programs.

Some nursing bachelor's programs are for nurses who are already licensed and working (RN-to-BSN). College Scorecard counts them with programs for new students, and their graduates' pay reflects years of nursing experience, so high pay at a program here may not mean higher starting pay for a new nurse.

Associate's fields in California, ranked

Each row is one field's median across its California associate's programs. Field names link to the full ranking of those programs.

Certificate fields in California, ranked

Each row is one field's median across its California certificate programs. Field names link to the full ranking of those programs.

307 California schools

Every California school with at least one program page. School names link to the school's page, which ranks all its programs. Schools with one program link straight to that program.

"Programs" counts the school's programs that report first-year pay.

Common questions

The median nursing bachelor's program in California pays its graduates $102,324 in their first year, the most of 87 bachelor's fields ranked here. Electrical engineering is next, at $78,247.

About this data

  • Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid, and earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school.
  • Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
  • Medians are across programs, not students: each program counts once, however many graduates it has.
  • Some schools with several campuses report one combined figure for all of them. We count each of those schools once, and leave them out of California figures when their main campus is in another state.
  • Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024.

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
  2. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024