9 Accounting colleges in California with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $81,110.
These 9 Accounting programs in California aren't just accessible—they deliver results. Each school ranks in the 60th percentile or above for social mobility, meaning they actually enroll and graduate low-income students. Then we ranked them by graduate earnings, finding schools that are both accessible AND high-performing.
Santa Clara University leads the rankings, producing Accounting graduates earning $109,183 while maintaining a 75th percentile mobility score. At the other end, graduates still earn $59,115—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes across the entire range.
University of Southern California exemplifies the double win—96th percentile for mobility with just a 4.2% payment burden, meaning graduates keep most of their earnings. California State University-Northridge serves 56% Pell Grant recipients while maintaining excellent affordability, with family debt burdens at just 11.3% of discretionary income.
Earnings: $109,183 | Mobility: 75th percentile
56% Pell students with $59,115 earnings
4.2% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
11.3% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Santa Clara UniversityPrivate | $109,183 | $19,162 | Excellent | $56,271 | Challenging | 75th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $92,498 | $18,000 | Excellent | $31,803 | Good | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | University Of San FranciscoPrivate | $89,812 | $23,000 | Excellent | $44,413 | Manageable | 76th percentile mobility |
| #4 | University Of San DiegoPrivate | $86,522 | $22,940 | Excellent | $56,559 | Challenging | 76th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Pepperdine UniversityPrivate | $82,939 | $23,510 | Excellent | $41,309 | High | 75th percentile mobility |
| #6 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | $78,349 | $19,500 | Excellent | $58,361 | High | 71th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | $70,070 | $20,500 | Excellent | $44,954 | Manageable | 72th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $61,504 | $26,063 | Good | $31,387 | Challenging | 75th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $59,115 | $13,872 | Excellent | $13,522 | Good | 100th percentile mobility |
Our social mobility rankings answer: "Which schools deliver the best outcomes for students from low-income backgrounds?"
This is not simply "which schools admit the most low-income students" — it's which schools both serve low-income students and deliver strong earnings outcomes.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
