Ranking
Best Data Science Colleges in California 2026
5 California colleges offering Data Science, ranked by EduGradify value grade.
- Schools ranked
- 5
- Cheapest net price
- $12,470
- Top earnings 10y
- $84,943
- Public / Private
- 2 / 3
University of California-San Diego
A+- ROI score
- 17.03
- Net price
- $12,470
- Earnings 10y
- $84,943
- Acceptance
- 26.7%
University of California-Santa Barbara
A- ROI score
- 11.63
- Net price
- $16,109
- Earnings 10y
- $74,915
- Acceptance
- 33%
University of the Pacific
B- ROI score
- 7.71
- Net price
- $25,447
- Earnings 10y
- $78,445
- Acceptance
- 71.3%
Saint Mary's College of California
C- ROI score
- 6.49
- Net price
- $30,378
- Earnings 10y
- $78,812
- Acceptance
- 86.5%
Point Loma Nazarene University
D- ROI score
- 4.13
- Net price
- $38,729
- Earnings 10y
- $63,998
- Acceptance
- 83.7%
How we picked this list
This list starts with California schools with positive Data Science program-share evidence, then sorts by EduGradify's school-wide ROI proxy: ten-year median earnings weighed against average net price. The set's average EduGradify ROI score is 9.40 (2 public, 3 private).
Every figure comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. See our full methodology for the formulas.
FAQ
Who leads this ranking?
University of California-San Diego in La Jolla, CA tops this ranking. EduGradify value grade is A+.
How does EduGradify pick this list?
We rank this set by roi score using the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — see our methodology for the full formula. No paid placements, no surveys.
How many California colleges are in this list?
5 California colleges qualified for this ranking based on available federal data.
What does net price mean here?
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — not the sticker price. It is reported by each college to the U.S. Department of Education.