Every California university with published federal figures, ordered by how fast the debt clears. The typical graded US university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,146 against $22,500 of debt.
| # | University | Grade | You borrow | Monthly | You earn | Debt clears in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University California | A | $12,000 | $136 | $124,080 | 0.1 yrs |
| 2 | Harvey Mudd College California | A | $25,000 | $284 | $138,687 | 0.3 yrs |
| 3 | University of California, Berkeley California | A | $13,000 | $148 | $92,446 | 0.3 yrs |
| 4 | Santa Clara University California | A | $19,162 | $218 | $109,183 | 0.3 yrs |
| 5 | University of California Davis California | A | $13,000 | $148 | $80,838 | 0.3 yrs |
| 6 | Pomona College California | A | $11,782 | $134 | $77,779 | 0.3 yrs |
| 7 | University of California, Los Angeles California | A | $14,000 | $159 | $82,511 | 0.3 yrs |
| 8 | University of Southern California California | A | $18,000 | $205 | $92,498 | 0.3 yrs |
| 9 | University of California, San Diego California | A | $15,500 | $176 | $84,943 | 0.3 yrs |
| 10 | California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California | A | $18,500 | $210 | $90,768 | 0.4 yrs |
| 11 | University of California, Irvine California | A | $15,000 | $171 | $80,735 | 0.4 yrs |
| 12 | Southern California University of Health Sciences California | A | $11,400 | $130 | $70,649 | 0.4 yrs |
| 13 | Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey California | A | $13,857 | $158 | $76,310 | 0.4 yrs |
| 14 | San Jose State University California | A | $15,000 | $171 | $78,988 | 0.4 yrs |
| 15 | University of California, Santa Barbara California | A | $13,993 | $159 | $74,915 | 0.4 yrs |
| 16 | Loma Linda University California | A | $20,854 | $237 | $89,816 | 0.4 yrs |
| 17 | University of San Francisco California | A | $23,000 | $262 | $89,812 | 0.5 yrs |
| 18 | University of San Diego California | A | $22,940 | $261 | $86,522 | 0.5 yrs |
| 19 | Loyola Marymount University California | A | $19,500 | $222 | $78,349 | 0.5 yrs |
| 20 | Pepperdine University California | A | $23,510 | $267 | $82,939 | 0.5 yrs |
| 21 | San Francisco State University California | A | $15,371 | $175 | $68,077 | 0.5 yrs |
| 22 | Pitzer College California | A | $16,750 | $190 | $69,512 | 0.6 yrs |
| 23 | California State University, Long Beach California | A | $14,289 | $162 | $64,403 | 0.6 yrs |
| 24 | California State University, Stanislaus California | A | $13,540 | $154 | $63,188 | 0.6 yrs |
| 25 | University of California, Santa Cruz California | A | $16,666 | $189 | $68,396 | 0.6 yrs |
| 26 | California State University, Fullerton California | B | $13,750 | $156 | $62,951 | 0.6 yrs |
| 27 | California State University, Sacramento California | B | $15,000 | $171 | $64,876 | 0.6 yrs |
| 28 | San Diego State University California | B | $15,000 | $171 | $64,909 | 0.6 yrs |
| 29 | Dominican University of California California | B | $27,000 | $307 | $84,713 | 0.6 yrs |
| 30 | Saint Mary's College of California California | B | $23,691 | $269 | $78,812 | 0.6 yrs |
The debt column is shaped far more by residency and institutional aid than by anything else. If you are applying from another state or another country, the figures here understate what you would borrow — check the university's own net price for your situation.
Two universities in this state with identical graduate salaries can be two grades apart, because one leaves students owing twice as much. The payback column is the one that combines both.
Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject at each institution. Information only, not financial advice.