Degree Dividend
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Best colleges for Business Administration, Management and Operations in California

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

Program-level earnings — not school prestige — rank these. Among the California programs in the federal field-of-study file, University of California-Berkeley leads: its Business Administration, Management and Operations graduates earn a median $144,599 four years after finishing, against the field's $68,257 national median. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026.)

California Business Administration, Management and Operations programs by graduate earnings
#CollegeGrad earnings, 4 yrsVs field median
1University of California-Berkeley$144,599+$76,342
2California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$110,902+$42,645
3University of Southern California$109,128+$40,871

How big is the earnings gap between California Business Administration programs?

$35,471 separates the top and bottom of this list — $144,599 at University of California-Berkeley against $109,128 at University of Southern California, four years after finishing. Same field, same state, same federal measure: where you study moves pay by that much.

Do California Business Administration graduates earn more than the national median?

The state's strongest program pays $76,342 above the $68,257 national median for the field. Program-level medians come from federal tax records of graduates who received aid, so they track actual pay rather than advertised salaries.

Frequently asked questions

Which California college is best for Business Administration, Management and Operations?
By graduate earnings, University of California-Berkeley — its Business Administration, Management and Operations bachelor's graduates earn a median $144,599 four years out, the highest of the 3 California programs in the federal file.
What do Business Administration, Management and Operations graduates earn in California?
Across the ranked California programs, median earnings four years after completion run from $109,128 to $144,599. The field's national median is $68,257.
Is a Business Administration, Management and Operations degree worth it?
On national medians, yes — Business Administration, Management and Operations graduates earn $19,897/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. See the full field profile for payback math.