Cheapest Business/Managerial Economics Colleges in California

California State University-San Bernardino offers the state's most affordable Business/Managerial Economics program at $5,918 net cost, while the University of San Diego tops the earnings chart at $69,338 annually. This $44,000 cost gap between cheapest and most expensive options reflects California's varied higher education market. The state's massive economy, ranking fifth globally, creates strong demand for business graduates across Silicon Valley tech giants, aerospace companies like SpaceX, and emerging biotech firms. Public universities dominate the affordable end, with seven UC and CSU campuses under $17,000 net cost. California's Cal Grant program helps qualifying students cover tuition costs, making these programs even more accessible. UCLA combines affordability at $14,013 net cost with strong outcomes including 92.7% graduation rates and $68,219 median earnings.

Programs

$5,918 – $50,959

Net Price Range

$54,349

Avg. Program Earnings

74.3%

Avg. Graduation Rate

17 Business/Managerial Economics Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, California	$5,918	$7,675	54.7%	91.1%
2	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, California	$8,931	$7,008	69.9%	40.0%
3	University of California-Irvine Irvine, California	$12,840	$14,237	86.0%	21.2%
4	University of California-Riverside Riverside, California	$13,707	$14,170	76.6%	68.7%
5	University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, California	$13,825	$14,965	85.3%	25.9%
6	University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, California	$14,013	$13,747	92.7%	8.6%
7	University of California-Davis Davis, California	$15,288	$15,247	85.1%	37.3%
8	University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, California	$16,607	$14,560	74.5%	46.9%
9	California Institute of Technology Pasadena, California	$18,902	$63,255	93.2%	2.7%
10	University of Redlands Redlands, California	$22,867	$57,614	70.7%	81.9%
11	Ashford University San Diego, California	$25,321	$13,160	8.8%
12	University of San Diego San Diego, California	$31,265	$56,444	81.6%	52.6%
13	Westmont College Santa Barbara, California	$32,926	$51,790	70.1%	82.0%
14	University of San Francisco San Francisco, California	$39,495	$58,222	71.1%	71.2%
15	Chapman University Orange, California	$47,527	$62,784	80.4%	72.5%
16	Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, California	$50,168	$43,550	73.8%	81.9%
17	Santa Clara University Santa Clara, California	$50,959	$59,241	88.5%	52.1%

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do California's cheapest Business/Managerial Economics programs actually cost?

Cal State San Bernardino leads at just $5,918 net cost annually, followed by Cal State Long Beach at $8,931. The entire UC system offers strong value, with UC Irvine at $12,840 and UC Riverside at $13,707. These public options cost significantly less than private alternatives, where even the most affordable like University of Redlands runs $22,867 net.

What earnings can graduates expect from affordable California programs?

UCLA graduates earn the highest median salary at $68,219 despite the school's $14,013 net cost, proving affordability doesn't sacrifice outcomes. UC Davis graduates earn $51,750 with debt of only $12,917. Even UC Riverside, the most affordable UC option, produces graduates earning $36,591 annually. California's strong economy supports these solid earning potential across price points.

Does attending a cheaper school mean lower graduation rates?

Not necessarily in California's system. UCLA maintains a 92.7% graduation rate at $14,013 net cost, while UC Irvine achieves 86% at $12,840. Cal State Long Beach graduates 69.9% of students at under $9,000 net cost. However, for-profit Ashford University shows the risk with only 8.8% graduation rates despite moderate costs.

Where do California's most competitive business programs fall on cost?

UCLA offers the best combination of selectivity and affordability, accepting just 8.57% of applicants at $14,013 net cost. Caltech, while extremely selective at 2.69% acceptance, costs $18,902 for business-adjacent programs. UC Irvine provides another competitive option with 21.15% acceptance rates and $12,840 net cost. Private schools like Chapman and USD cost over $30,000 more despite higher acceptance rates.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.