Top 2023/24 Business Schools in California

Introduction

The Top 2023 Business schools in California

The Best Business Schools in California for an Associate Degree.

The Best Business Schools in California for a Bachelor’s Degree.

The Best Business Schools in California for a Master’s degree.

The Best Business Schools in California for a doctorate Degree.

Why you should opt for a business degree in a business school in California

Criteria for the top ranking of best business schools in California

What jobs can a business degree in top business schools in California fetch me?

Do the top California business schools offer online degrees?

Conclusion

If you’re viewing this page, chances are that you are looking for the best business schools in California in 2023. With over 2,000 business schoolS choices to make from, choosing the best university for you is one of the hardest decisions to make. Now you’ve come to the right place as we have compiled a list of business schools in California that best suits your needs. It’s no doubt a good idea to have as much information as possible about your choice of business school. This article provides facts about the business schools in California to help you make your college decision. These schools offer business programs and curricula that help equip you for success in the business world.

Does this sound like what you want? Then read on to understand the tuition fees, acceptance rates and graduation rates of the top business schools in California.

Opportunities abound for a student seeking for a degree in a business school in California. This is so because California is home to some of the biggest corporations in the world such as Apple, Alphabet, Chevron, Wells Fargo, Intel, Facebook, Disney , HP, Cisco Systems, Oracle, Tesla, and Qualcomm.

If you’re looking to start a career in business, it’s important to note that business degrees come in four tiers;

Associate degree program: The associate degree program equips students with the knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs, like marketing assistant.

Bachelor’s degree program: The bachelor degree program, or MBA program, equips students with the proper tools and techniques to assume higher leadership and management positions. These include business manager, senior business analyst, and vice chairman positions. Graduates have the choice of working either in the corporate setting, or add an academic position like becoming instructors in community colleges and small universities.

Master’s degree program (MBA): The masters’ degree program, or MBA program, equips students with the right tools and techniques to assume higher leadership and management positions. These include business manager, senior business analyst, and vice president positions. Graduates have the option of working either in the corporate setting, or work in an academic position like becoming instructors in community colleges and small universities.

Doctorate Degree Program: The doctoral degree program is for professionals whose goal is to contribute to the development of business theory and management practice and to further increase their professional knowledge and skills. Career opportunities for graduates may be a career in teaching such as professors at colleges and universities, and becoming business consultants.

It is important to note that a Phd in business administration is not the same as a doctorate degree in business administration. While a PhD is research- oriented and graduates typically cgo for  an academic career, a doctorate degree is geared towards theoretical knowledge with practical applications in business management.

Our compiled list of the highest business schools are categorized based on the business degree awarded.

An associate degree is a 2-year business degree. An associate in business is a great place to start if you don’t have the time or money for a four-year bachelor’s program. While an associate does not give room for upward mobility in your career, it’ll get you into the workforce sooner. These business colleges often allow students to simply transfer to an accredited four-year program at an independent school or a member of the California State University or University of California systems;

1. Coastline junior college
2. Cerritos College
3. Pasadena City College
4. San Antonio College
5. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia
6. College of the Canyons
7. Riverside City College
8. American River College
9. Orange Coast College
10. Santa Monica College

1. Coastline Community College: Coastline Community College is a public institution with an enrollment of 805 undergraduates. it’s an acceptance rate of 100% and a graduation rate of 17.8%. The value of tuition is about $1,160.

2. Cerritos college: Cerritos may be a public college with an enrollment of 8,240 undergraduate students. The Cerritos acceptance rate is 100%, and graduating 33% of scholars . It’s an average tuition cost of $4,514 with aid.

3. Pasadena City College: Pasadena City College is an above-average public college with an enrollment of 9,427 undergraduate students. The Pasadena City College acceptance rate is 100% with a graduation rate of 46%. The value of tuition after aid is $5,465.

4. Mt. San Antonio College: Mt. San Antonio is a public school with an enrollment of 9,878 undergraduate students. The varsity has an acceptance rate of 100% and graduates 39% of its students. The typical cost of tuition with aid is $5,297.

5. San Joaquin Valley College – Visalia: San Joaquin Valley – Visalia may be a for-profit college. it’s an enrollment of 1,927 undergraduate students. The San Joaquin Valley – Visalia has an acceptance rate of 100%, graduating 33% of scholars , and a tuition cost of $25,583 after aid.

6. College of the Canyons: College of the Canyons may be a public college with an enrollment of 6,078 undergraduate students. The school of the Canyons acceptance rate is 100% and a graduation rate of 48%. The typical cost of tuition after aid is $7,032.

7. Riverside City College: Riverside City may be a public college institution with a total enrollment of 5,922 undergraduate students. The Riverside City acceptance rate is 100% and therefore the graduation rate is 38%. Tuition cost with aid is $8,280.

8. American River college: ARC may be a public college and a small institution with an enrollment of 4,989 undergraduate students. The ARC acceptance rate is 100% and graduation rate is 34%. $7,523 is the cost of tuition with aid.

9. Orange Coast College: Orange Coast College may be a public college and one of the top nation’s transfer schools and offers opportunities to students for transfer to universities. it’s a total enrollment of 21122. With an 100% acceptance rate and graduation rate of 45.6%, the tuition cost of the school is $6,499.

10. Santa Monica College: SMC may be a public college big institution with an enrollment of 10,005 undergraduate students. The SMC acceptance rate is 100% and graduates 31% of its students, and a mean tuition cost of $6,625 with aid.

1. University of California, Irvine: This public university is among the top 5% in the country with an enrollment of 28,990 undergraduate students. It has an acceptance rate of 30% , graduating 85% of its students, and tuition cost of $15,268 with aid.

2. University of San Francisco: USFCA, which is in the top 10% of the country for business administration, is a private not-for-profit university. The admission is fairly selective with an acceptance rate of 70% and a graduation rate of 79%. The cost of tuition is about $14,540 with aid.

3. University of San Diego: The University of San Diego is a high-ranking public university, with a population of 27,880 undergraduate students. The admission rate of UC San Diego is 34% and it graduates 85% of her students, with a tuition cost of $14,648.

4. Chapman University: Chapman is a research, private not-for-profit university. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,714 students with an acceptance rate of 58%, and graduating 78% of its students. It has a tuition cost of $44,000 after aid.

5. University of Phoenix, California: UOPX – California is in the top 10% of the country for business administration. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 69,408. It is not competitive with an acceptance rate of 100%, a graduation rate of 28.2%, and a tuition cost of $16,585 after aid.

The Best Business Schools in California for a Master’s Degree

For one to go on to study graduate business to pursue a master’s degree in business(MBA), you must have already bagged your bachelor’s degree in business.

There are 41 Business schools in California with MBA-accredited programs. It can be overwhelming to have to make a choice out of the long list of eligible schools, so we have narrowed your search to include only the top 10 schools to help you make your decision. The best business schools in California for your MBA program, their acceptance rate, graduation rates, and cost of tuition, of their MBA programs are as follows;

1. Stanford University – Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB).
2. Pepperdine University
3. University of California, Berkeley – Haas School of Business
4. UCLA University of California, Los Angeles – Anderson School of Management
5. University of California, Irvine – The Paul Merage School of Business
6. University of Southern California (USC) – Marshall School of Business
7. University of California, San Diego (UCSD) – The Rady School of Management.
8. University of California, Davis – Graduate School of Management
9. Hult International Business School – San Francisco Campus
10. California State University, Long Beach (CSULB).

1. Stanford University – Stanford’s Graduate School of Business: Not only is Stanford university one of the best schools in California, it is inarguably one of the best schools in the world.It  offers a full-time, on-campus two-year MBA program. It is a private and nonprofit institution with a graduation rate of 94.2%, an acceptance rate of 6.1% and tuition cost of $55,000 after aid.

2. Pepperdine University: It is a private institution with a tuition cost of $105,000, acceptance rate of 70% and graduation rate of 97%.

3. University of California, Berkeley – Haas School of Business: This is among the top business schools in California with a graduation rate of 91%, acceptance rate of 15% and tuition cost of $15,000 after aid.

4. UCLA University of California, Los Angeles – Anderson School of Management: This is a public research university with acceptance of 35% and a tuition cost of $130,228 after aid.

5. University of California, Irvine – The Paul Merage School of Business: The Paul Merage School of Business is the business school of University of California with 22% acceptance rate and tuition cost of $95,118 after aid.

6. University of Southern California (USC) – Marshall School of Business: This is among the top business schools in California with a graduation rate of 92%, acceptance rate of 16% and tuition cost of $30,000 after aid.

7. University of California, San Diego (UCSD) – The Rady School of Management: It is a public institution with 42% acceptance rate and $59,490 tuition cost with aid.

8. University of California, Davis – Graduate School of Management: It is a public university This is one of the best business schools for MBA in California with an acceptance rate of and a tuition cost of $85,698.

9. Hult International Business School – San Francisco Campus: This is a private university with a 41% acceptance rate, graduation rate of 69% and $79,800 cost of tuition after aid.

10. California State University, Long Beach (CSULB): This is a public, comprehensive university with acceptance rate of 65%, graduation rate of 69.4% and a tuition cost of $45,600 after aid.

1. Vanderbilt University
2. University of Pennsylvania
3. Duke University
4. Washington University in St Louis
5. University of Southern California
6. Columbia University in the city of New York.
7. University of Minnesota- Twin Cities
8. Yale University
9. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
10. Cornell University

1. Vanderbilt University: Students of this program typically receive full tuition support.The doctorate program has a 21% : It has an acceptance rate of 52% , graduation rate of 86% and tuition cost of $50,624 after aid.

2. University of Pennsylvania:  It is a private institution with a tuition cost of $105,000, acceptance rate of 70% and graduation rate of 97%.

3. Duke University: It is a highly competitive university with an acceptance rate of 8% and tuition cost of $59,140 with aid.

4. Washington University in St Louis: It is a private university with a 32% acceptance rate and $56,562 cost of tuition with aid.

5.  University of Southern California: It is a private university with a 14% acceptance rate and tuition cost of $48,715.

6. Columbia University in the city of New York: The doctorate degree is highly competitive with an acceptance rate of 7% and $51,194 tuition cost with aid.

7. University of Minnesota- Twin Cities: The doctorate degree program is competitive with a 30% acceptance rate and tuition cost of $19,221.

8. Yale University: With an acceptance rate of 12%, Yale University doctorate program has a tuition cost of $44,500.

9. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor: The doctorate degree program has an acceptance rate of 15% and tuition fee of $24,772.

10. Cornell University: The doctorate degree program has a 15% acceptance rate and an average tuition cost of $30,042.

1. California is home to one of the best business schools in the US and having a degree from a  top business school in California, gives you a competitive edge when you place a top business school in your resume after graduation.
2. Some of the world’s largest corporations such as Apple, Oracle, Tesla, Intel, Facebook, have their headquarters in California. California also boasts of about 7 million small businesses and employs about 50% of the California workforce. People with a degree in business administration and management have an abundance of employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
3. If you are resident in California and attending a top business school, the close proximity allows you to engage in local internship and networking, which can boost job prospects after graduation.
4. Better pay: Recent data has shown that the average annual wage of Business occupations in California is 240% above the national wage of other occupations.
5. Career flexibility: Graduates of business possess some transferable skills in marketing, management and finance, which allows them to pursue a career in any industry.
6. Job security: Business graduates of top California schools are sought after by employers owing to the fact that they possess exceptionally broad knowledge, skills and expertise that is in demand. With this, a high rate of job security, and potential for upward mobility are assured.

One would wonder the criteria for these schools making it to the top 10 business schools in California, this is owed to the fact that they meet the key characteristics of our ranking methodology which takes into account the following;

1. Accreditation: These business schools have gained recognition by top regional accreditation bodies as meeting the standards of providing quality and value for your education. These schools have been accredited by the WSCUC (The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission) and the AACSB(Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International).

2. Affordable cost of tuition: College is a huge financial investment and prospective students are on the lookout for colleges that are affordable. These colleges also have options of financial aid for students.

3. Average salary: With a business degree from these top business schools, you can expect to earn an above-average salary upon graduation.

4. Prestige: The success and achievements of these business schools earnTed them places on the list of   Princeton Review’s Best Western Colleges.

5. University resources: These Universities make resources available for you to succeed in the business world. These resources may include mock interviews, access to free online tutoring, group counseling, and extensive job fairs.

6. Extracurriculars: University experience is more than just classroom activities. These business schools offer extracurricular activities such as athletic, intramural activities and student clubs. You just have to take up the type of activity that interests you, outside of class.

Graduates of the top business schools in California enter the workforce well-equipped to pursue a career in varying industries. However, the type of job one is eligible to apply for is dependent on the minimum business degree one possesses.

Jobs an associate degree can get you:

Administrative assistant

Customer service associate

Assistant store manager

Sales support specialist

Executive assistant

Retail sales workers

Sales consultant

Sales supervisor

Payroll specialist

Account manager

Jobs a bachelor’s degree can get you;

General or Operations Manager

Administrative Services Manager

Human Resources Specialist

Public Relations Specialist

Sales manager

Financial analyst

Management consultant

Business analyst

Marketing manager

Business teacher

Jobs a master’s degree in business can get you;

Business development manager

Information Technology manager

Finance manager

Financial advisor

Human Resource Manager

Business consultant

Investment banker

Internet marketing manager

Operations research analyst

Product manager

Job positions a doctorate in business can get you

Economist

Professor

Organizational Development Manager

Director of Human Resources

Government Program Manager

Non-profit Executive Director

Strategic Planner

Market Research Analyst

Logistician

C-Suite Executive

Many business schools and colleges in California offer online degrees for the busy, working students. Students who seek an online degree have flexible schedules designed to meet their needs.

Deciding on the business degree, and the business school you want to pursue your business degree, is arguably one of the biggest decisions one can make. We have included the top business schools in California and the different business degrees they offer, and other questions you can possibly have on the search for the best business that fits your needs.

Goodluck!