Best Teacher Education Colleges in California (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Education Colleges in California
This page ranks the 16 schools in California that offer Teacher Education by the median earnings of Teacher Education graduates four years after completing, highest first. University of the Pacific leads the list with earnings of $69,342.
Across the 13 schools with a published figure, the median is $51,445, with a range from $69,342 to $41,749.
The list includes 9 public and 7 private nonprofit institutions. California State University-Los Angeles reports the lowest average net price at $3,967, and California State University-Los Angeles ranks 3rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Teacher Education Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of the Pacific · Stockton, CA | $69,342 | $25,447 | $17,004 | 71.3% |
| University of the Pacific reports median earnings of $69,342 for its Teacher Education graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (13 graduates), Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (11 graduates) | |||||
| 2 | Fresno Pacific University · Fresno, CA | $60,338 | $13,630 | $11,133 | 64.1% |
| Fresno Pacific University admits 64% of applicants and reports a six-year completion rate of 50%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (109 graduates), Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (86 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($60,338) | |||||
| 3 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $59,993 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
| San Francisco State University, a public university in San Francisco, posts median earnings of $59,993 for its Teacher Education graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (258 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($59,993) | |||||
| 4 | Point Loma Nazarene University · San Diego, CA | $56,198 | $38,729 | $30,999 | 83.7% |
| Point Loma Nazarene University carries an average net price of $38,729 and an admission rate of 84%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (59 graduates) | |||||
| 5 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $55,543 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
| A six-year completion rate of 86% and an admission rate of 31% are reported by California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (57 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($55,543) | |||||
| 6 | Pacific Oaks College · Pasadena, CA | $51,865 | Not reported | Not reported | 34.4% |
| Pacific Oaks College reports median earnings of $51,865 for its Teacher Education graduates four years after completing, and admits 34% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (61 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($51,865) | |||||
| 7 | Biola University · La Mirada, CA | $51,566 | $31,495 | $27,144 | 74.4% |
| Biola University reports an average net price of $31,495 and median earnings of $51,566 for its Teacher Education graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (36 graduates), Education, General (9 graduates) | |||||
| 8 | California State University-San Marcos · San Marcos, CA | $51,445 | $10,229 | $6,230 | 95.1% |
| California State University-San Marcos reports an average net price of $10,229 and an admission rate of 95%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (118 graduates) | |||||
| 9 | California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $50,444 | $3,967 | $2,877 | 91.3% |
| With an average net price of $3,967, California State University-Los Angeles holds the lowest figure on the list and ranks 3rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (391 graduates), Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (28 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($50,444) | |||||
| 10 | William Jessup University · Rocklin, CA | $49,540 | $28,062 | $23,123 | 93.3% |
| William Jessup University reports median earnings of $49,540 for its Teacher Education graduates four years after completing, and a six-year completion rate of 56%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (36 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($49,540) | |||||
| 11 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $48,471 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
| San Diego State University admits 36% of applicants and reports median earnings of $48,471 for its Teacher Education graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (142 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($48,471) | |||||
| 12 | California State University-Fresno · Fresno, CA | $45,819 | $7,000 | $5,105 | 95.3% |
| California State University-Fresno reports an average net price of $7,000 and a six-year completion rate of 57%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (71 graduates), Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (25 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas ($62,475), Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($45,819) | |||||
| 13 | California State University-Dominguez Hills · Carson, CA | $44,654 | $8,615 | $7,303 | 93.3% |
| At 13th on this list, California State University-Dominguez Hills reports median earnings of $44,654 for its Teacher Education graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (243 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($44,654) | |||||
| 14 | California State University-Stanislaus · Turlock, CA | $44,020 | $6,067 | $3,938 | 98.1% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 53%, California State University-Stanislaus admits 98% of applicants and ranks 83rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (84 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($44,020) | |||||
| 15 | California Baptist University · Riverside, CA | $41,749 | $26,285 | $22,298 | 84.9% |
| A private nonprofit university in Riverside, California Baptist University ranks 15th on this list and posts an average net price of $26,285. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (84 graduates), Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (11 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($41,749) | |||||
| 16 | California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA | No published median | $6,555 | $3,315 | 90.5% |
| Ranking 6th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, California State University-Fullerton reports a six-year completion rate of 70% and an average net price of $6,555. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (530 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Teacher Education graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Teacher Education earnings cohort in California appear. The metric reports the median earnings of federally aided Teacher Education completers who were working and not enrolled four years after completing. It does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost of attendance, or the characteristics of the students who enroll, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 13 schools with a published figure. Across the list, the spread from University of the Pacific to the bottom is $27,593.
Job market context in California
The occupations linked to Teacher Education in California include roles such as Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education, Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education, and Educational Instruction and Library Workers, All Other. The median annual wage across those occupations is $89,907, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $67,415. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 3.9% higher, with about 1,182 openings a year for every hundred graduates, more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, which is a different measure from the occupational wage figures reported here.
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- Education Colleges
- Best Colleges in California
- Best Education Colleges in California
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- Teacher Education Colleges in California for Social Mobility