Schools with the Best Average Starting Salaries in California – Study

Most college students are on a tight budget for four years, making minimum wage at the pizza place on campus – but when graduation comes, who’s earning the most dough? A recent study by SmartAsset measures exactly that – finding the schools where graduates earn the highest average starting salaries.

For a look at the leaders in California, check the table below:

Rank	School	City	Avg. Scholarships and Grants	Avg. Starting Salary	College Tuition^*	Student Living Costs	Student Retention Rate	Starting Salary Index
1	Harvey Mudd College	Claremont, CA	$34,661	$88,800	$54,636	$19,792	97%	100.00
2	California Institute of Technology	Pasadena, CA	$39,500	$84,100	$49,908	$18,993	98%	91.17
3	Stanford University	Stanford, CA	$47,106	$79,000	$49,617	$19,492	99%	81.58
4	University of California-Berkeley	Berkeley, CA	$18,993	$70,700	$14,170	$22,819	97%	65.98
5	Santa Clara University	Santa Clara, CA	$26,392	$69,900	$49,858	$19,581	95%	64.47
6	Loma Linda University	Loma Linda, CA	$8,682	$66,300	n/a	n/a	n/a	57.71
7	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	San Luis Obispo, CA	$6,755	$65,600	$9,432	$17,721	94%	56.39
8	University of Southern California	Los Angeles, CA	$37,647	$64,500	$54,259	$17,950	97%	54.32
9	University of California-San Diego	La Jolla, CA	$18,306	$63,400	$14,018	$18,145	94%	52.26
10	Art Center College of Design	Pasadena, CA	$16,566	$63,200	$42,008	n/a	83%	51.88

These rankings are based on one of the key factors in SmartAsset’s overarching study on America’s Best Value Colleges. Additional information on the study and methodology can be found here: https://smartasset.com/student-loans/student-loan-calculator#California/salary

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.