Best Marketing Programs in California (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Business Colleges in California
This page ranks the 12 Marketing programs in California by median earnings of Marketing graduates four years after completing, highest first. Santa Clara University leads the list with median earnings of $104,723 for its Marketing graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed schools, the median figure is $60,362, with a range from $104,723 to $34,348. For 4 of the 12 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list is overwhelmingly private: 11 of the 12 schools are private nonprofits, while just 1 is public. California State University-Northridge posts the lowest average net price at $7,021, and also holds the highest admission rate, admitting 93% of applicants.
California State University-Northridge ranks 7th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Clara University · Santa Clara, CA | $104,723 | $50,062 | $22,985 | 48.0% |
| Santa Clara University reports $104,723 in median earnings for its Marketing graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $50,062. | |||||
| 2 | University of San Francisco · San Francisco, CA | $91,815 | $41,431 | $31,537 | 61.7% |
| University of San Francisco admits 62% of applicants and its Marketing completers who borrowed left with a median federal debt of $21,250. | |||||
| 3 | University of San Diego · San Diego, CA | $83,562 | $30,365 | $15,586 | 52.4% |
| With an admission rate of 52%, University of San Diego posts median earnings of $83,562 for its Marketing graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Loyola Marymount University · Los Angeles, CA | $82,825 | $48,381 | $32,268 | 45.1% |
| Loyola Marymount University posts an admission rate of 45% and an average net price of $32,268 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 5 | Menlo College · Atherton, CA | $74,930 | $31,100 | $25,546 | 68.5% |
| Menlo College shows median earnings of $74,930 for its Marketing graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 29 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 6 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $64,373 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
| California State University-Northridge, a public university, reports median federal debt of $13,350 among Marketing completers who borrowed and an average net price of $7,021. | |||||
| 7 | California Baptist University · Riverside, CA | $56,350 | $26,285 | $22,298 | 84.9% |
| An average net price of $26,285 coincides with an admission rate of 85% at California Baptist University. | |||||
| 8 | La Sierra University · Riverside, CA | $48,040 | $45,566 | $44,988 | 91.5% |
| La Sierra University reports an average net price of $44,988 for families earning under $30,000, and its Marketing graduates earned a median of $48,040 four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | Point Loma Nazarene University · San Diego, CA | $46,087 | $38,729 | $30,999 | 83.7% |
| Point Loma Nazarene University admits 84% of applicants and reports an average net price of $38,729. | |||||
| 10 | Woodbury University · Burbank, CA | $42,682 | $33,692 | $28,815 | 81.7% |
| Woodbury University shows median earnings of $42,682 for its Marketing graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 6 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 11 | Azusa Pacific University · Azusa, CA | $39,585 | $22,212 | $15,781 | 88.4% |
| Azusa Pacific University reports an average net price of $15,781 for families earning under $30,000 and ranks 481st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 12 | Vanguard University of Southern California · Costa Mesa, CA | $34,348 | $21,241 | $17,225 | 62.4% |
| Vanguard University of Southern California admits 62% of applicants and reports an average net price of $21,241. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Marketing graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in California appear. The figure covers federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 4 of the 12 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. Santa Clara University reports $104,723, which is $12,908 above the $91,815 posted by University of San Francisco. Across the list the spread from Santa Clara University to the lowest figure is $70,375.
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