Best Applied Mathematics Programs in California (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Mathematics Colleges in California
This page ranks the 9 Applied Mathematics programs in California by median earnings of Applied Mathematics graduates four years after completing, highest first. University of California-Berkeley leads the list with median earnings of $118,414 after completing.
Across the listed schools, the median figure is $97,071, with a range from $118,414 to $65,508. For 1 of the 9 programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 7 of the 9 schools, and private nonprofits for 2. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
University of California-Merced reports the lowest average net price on the list, at $11,983.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $118,414 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| University of California-Berkeley ranks 1st on this list, reporting $118,414 in median earnings for its Applied Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $109,360 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
| Median earnings of $109,360 four years after completing coincide with an average net price of $16,109 at University of California-Santa Barbara. | |||||
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $103,887 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
| With an admission rate of 9%, University of California-Los Angeles reports $103,887 in median earnings for its Applied Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $101,094 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| University of Southern California, a private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, shows median federal debt of $12,251 among Applied Mathematics completers who borrowed alongside median earnings of $101,094 four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Stanford University · Stanford, CA | $97,071 | $13,807 | -$2,536* | 3.6% |
| Stanford University admits 4% of applicants and reports median earnings of $97,071 for its Applied Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $85,233 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
| University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and posts median earnings of $85,233 for its Applied Mathematics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | University of California-Merced · Merced, CA | $82,156 | $11,983 | $7,945 | 90.5% |
| An average net price of $11,983 and median earnings of $82,156 four years after completing are reported by University of California-Merced. | |||||
| 8 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $69,606 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
| San Diego State University shows median federal debt of $23,793 among Applied Mathematics completers who borrowed and median earnings of $69,606 four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $65,508 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
| University of California-Davis reports median earnings of $65,508 for its Applied Mathematics graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $14,741. | |||||
* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Applied Mathematics graduates four years after completing, or two years for programs that report only a two-year figure, highest first. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled after completing. For 1 of the 9 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. University of California-Berkeley leads University of California-Santa Barbara by $9,054, and the spread from top to bottom reaches $52,906.
Related rankings
- Top Applied Mathematics Programs in the United States
- Best Colleges in California
- Applied Mathematics Programs in New York
- Best Mathematics Colleges in California
- Mathematics Colleges in California for Social Mobility