Ranking

Best Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Colleges in California 2026

Stanford University leads this ROI ranking with a A+ value grade and a 22.47 ROI score. EduGradify ranks 8 colleges here by earnings against net price.

8 California colleges offering Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research, ranked by EduGradify value grade.

Schools ranked: 8
Cheapest net price: $7,000
Top earnings 10y: $124,080
Public / Private: 3 / 5

Stanford University

A+

Stanford, CA · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 22.47
Net price: $13,807
Earnings 10y: $124,080
Acceptance: 3.6%

California State University-Fresno

A+

Fresno, CA · Public

ROI score: 21.87
Net price: $7,000
Earnings 10y: $61,244
Acceptance: 95.3%

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA · Public

ROI score: 14.16
Net price: $14,251
Earnings 10y: $80,735
Acceptance: 28.6%

University of California-Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz, CA · Public

ROI score: 9.56
Net price: $17,890
Earnings 10y: $68,396
Acceptance: 65.8%

National University

San Diego, CA · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 7.38
Net price: $22,878
Earnings 10y: $67,548
Acceptance: Open / not reported

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 7.06
Net price: $32,740
Earnings 10y: $92,498
Acceptance: 9.8%

Southern California Institute of Architecture

Los Angeles, CA · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 4.09
Net price: $43,923
Earnings 10y: $71,909
Acceptance: 76.6%

Pepperdine University

Malibu, CA · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 3.57
Net price: $58,098
Earnings 10y: $82,939
Acceptance: 62.9%

How we picked this list

This list starts with California schools with positive Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research 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 11.27 (3 public, 5 private).

Source transparency: every figure comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard public data set. See our full methodology for the ROI formula, value grade rules and missing-data handling.

FAQ

Who leads this ranking?

Stanford University in Stanford, 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?

8 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.

Can I use this ranking as a final college decision?

Use it as a shortlist, not a final decision. The ranking compares school-wide federal data; you should still confirm program fit, aid letters, graduation path, transfer policies and current costs with each college.