The Best Finance Programs in California for 2026

USD's Finance major at the Knauss School of Business is built around FINA 300 Financial Management, FINA 402 Investments, FINA 404 Advanced Corporate Finance, and FINA 408 Financial Statement Analysis, with the curriculum explicitly designed to prepare students for the first two levels of the CFA Institute exam. In FINA 410, students manage an actual investment portfolio with real money, and the broader program applies student analysis to a live $200,000 donor fund. Poets&Quants ranked Knauss the No. 3 undergraduate business school in California in 2025. Students can also pursue a double degree with partner universities in Spain, Italy, Portugal, or France, and join the Beta Alpha Psi finance fraternity.

USD's 90.4 Hakia Score ranks fourth among these four, though its 84% graduation rate trails only Santa Clara's 88%, and its 52% admit rate sits between LMU's 45% and Pepperdine's 63%. Tuition is flat at $58,420, the lowest of the four; over four years that totals $233,680, saving $42,840 against Pepperdine's total sticker price for the same degree length. Enrollment is 9,714.

The program's own placement data shows 91.4% of 2024-25 respondents had a first full-time job offer within three months of graduating, with a self-reported average starting salary of $68,600 for finance and banking graduates. That trails the national BLS median of $88,870 a year for financial analysts, a figure covering the whole experienced field rather than new graduates. It fits a student who wants the cheapest of these four price tags alongside a live-portfolio requirement and fast job placement.

USF's finance program (BSBA) sits inside the School of Management and frames financial management as a tool for "responsible use of funds." Students build a real investment portfolio, lead an international capital budgeting project, and analyze financial statements to assess company performance; those who want more can add the Investment minor, which puts real money under management in the Student Managed Fund course. Outside class, the Student Investment Club and the Beta Alpha Psi honor society give finance majors a second track to sharpen the same skills.

USF carries a Hakia Score of 88, the highest of the California finance programs reviewed here, built on a 70% graduation rate and a 62% admit rate, the most selective of this group. As a private university, USF charges one flat rate regardless of residency: $59,950 a year for both in-state and out-of-state students, on an enrollment of 8,913. That combination, selective admissions plus a strong grad rate, fits a student who wants a competitive, mission-driven finance program in a major financial-services market and can absorb the sticker price.

Nationally, financial analysts earn a median $88,870 a year per the BLS Occupational Outlook, the same benchmark that applies across every school in this comparison, not a USF-specific placement figure. Four years of USF's sticker tuition runs $239,800 before aid, about 2.7 times that national median salary.

Point Loma's Finance, B.S. Business Administration sits in the Fermanian School of Business and pairs financial management, valuation, and investments coursework with a values-based decision framework. The curriculum runs through capital markets, mergers, corporate restructuring, and financial planning and forecasting, and students can compete on a global stage in the CFA Institute Research Challenge or join the Finance and Investment Society. The program's own alumni list includes placements at Qualcomm, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, EY, and Viasat.

PLNU posts a Hakia Score of 81.1, driven by a 77% graduation rate, the highest of the four programs profiled here, and an 84% admit rate, the most accessible. Tuition is a flat $45,300 for all students regardless of residency, on an enrollment of 4,757. That mix of a high grad rate and comparatively open admissions suits a student who wants strong on-time completion odds without the most competitive application process.

Set against the national $88,870 median salary for financial analysts (BLS Occupational Outlook), four years of PLNU's sticker tuition totals $181,200, about 2 times that benchmark, before any aid is applied.

Saint Mary's Finance Degree is STEM-designated, the only one of the four programs here with that label, and runs through the School of Economics and Business Administration. Students take five of six finance electives, choosing among International Financial Management, Investments, New Venture Financing, Intermediate Corporate Finance, Equity Valuation, and Financial Analytics, and can compete in the CFA Institute Research Challenge. The business school is AACSB accredited, which the school cites as placing it among the top 6% of business schools worldwide.

SMC's Hakia Score of 79.5 rests on a 70% graduation rate and an 87% admit rate, the most accessible of the four programs here. Tuition is flat at $57,303 regardless of residency, and enrollment is the smallest of the group at 2,734, meaning finance majors share a business school with fewer peers than at USF or CBU. That profile fits a student who wants the STEM designation and AACSB accreditation on a smaller campus, and who values open admissions over selectivity.

Against the $88,870 national median for financial analysts (BLS Occupational Outlook), four years of SMC's sticker tuition adds up to $229,212, roughly 2.6 times that salary benchmark before aid.

CBU's Finance, BS is a 78-unit program with two concentrations: Corporate Accounting Finance and Financial Planning. The Financial Planning concentration meets the coursework requirement to sit for the Certified Financial Planner exam, and the program also positions students to pursue the CFA designation. Outside the classroom, the CBU Investment Group runs a student-managed fund with a stated target of an 8% annual return and a 3% minimum real return above inflation and costs.

CBU's Hakia Score is 73.8, the lowest of the four programs profiled here, reflecting a 62% graduation rate against an 85% admit rate. Tuition is flat at $39,078 for all students, the cheapest of the group by $6,222 a year versus the next-lowest option, Point Loma's $45,300, on the largest enrollment here at 11,902. That combination fits a cost-conscious student targeting the CFP exam track who is willing to accept a lower graduation rate than the other three schools in exchange for the lowest sticker price.

Measured against the $88,870 national median for financial analysts (BLS Occupational Outlook), four years of CBU's sticker tuition totals $156,312, about 1.8 times that benchmark, the smallest multiple of the four schools here.

Based in Northridge, CA, California State University-Northridge is a public institution. Its Bachelor's in Finance program lands at #9 of the 12 ranked here, earning a 71.0 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 79.6 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 57% of its students, below the 65% average across the ranked schools. California State University-Northridge admits 93% of applicants, less selective than the 71% average for the group. That is more open than the 45% rate at Loyola Marymount University, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 11% to 88%.

On cost, California State University-Northridge charges $6,084 a year in-state, roughly 3x the $18,684 out-of-state rate. Over four years that is about $24,336 in tuition for residents, against $74,736 for non-residents. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,084 at California State University-Northridge to $69,130 at Pepperdine University. Graduates step into a field with an $88,870 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.

La Sierra University is a private, nonprofit institution in Riverside, CA. Its Bachelor's in Finance program ranks #10 of the 12 analyzed here with a 65.4 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 79.6 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 60% of its students, below the 65% average across the ranked schools. La Sierra University admits 91% of applicants, less selective than the 71% average for the group. That is more open than the 45% rate at Loyola Marymount University, the most selective program on this list. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 11% to 88%.

On cost, La Sierra University charges $36,720 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $146,880 in tuition. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,084 at California State University-Northridge to $69,130 at Pepperdine University. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with an $88,870 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the main draw here is its low in-state cost.

Based in San Diego, CA, National University is a private, nonprofit institution. Its Bachelor's in Finance program lands at #11 of the 12 ranked here, earning a 65.2 Hakia Score that weighs graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and outcomes. That sits below the 79.6 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 43% of its students, below the 65% average across the ranked schools. National University holds an open-admission policy, accepting every qualified applicant. Its completion rate lands in the middle of the pack in a group where graduation runs from 11% to 88%. It is one of the larger campuses in the ranking, enrolling 22,115 students.

On cost, National University charges $13,284 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $53,136 in tuition. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,084 at California State University-Northridge to $69,130 at Pepperdine University. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with an $88,870 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with an online option.

Ashford University is a private, for-profit institution in San Diego, CA. Its Bachelor's in Finance program ranks #12 of the 12 analyzed here with a 63.1 Hakia Score, a composite of graduation rate, cost, selectivity, and graduate outcomes. That sits below the 79.6 group average, in the lower third of the 12 ranked programs. The program graduates 11% of its students, below the 65% average across the ranked schools. Ashford University holds an open-admission policy, accepting every qualified applicant. Its completion rate lands toward the lower end in a group where graduation runs from 11% to 88%. It is one of the larger campuses in the ranking, enrolling 28,004 students.

On cost, Ashford University charges $11,040 a year in-state. Over four years that totals about $44,160 in tuition. That puts it among the most affordable on this list, where annual in-state tuition runs from $6,084 at California State University-Northridge to $69,130 at Pepperdine University. As a private institution, its tuition does not change with residency, unlike the public universities on this list. Graduates step into a field with an $88,870 national median salary reported by the BLS. For prospective students, the draw here is low in-state cost paired with an online option.