Ranking

Best Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Colleges in California 2026

San Diego Christian College leads this ROI ranking with a A+ value grade and a 125.42 ROI score. EduGradify ranks 25 colleges here by earnings against net price.

50 California colleges offering Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, ranked by EduGradify value grade.

Schools ranked: 25
Cheapest net price: $992
Top earnings 10y: $124,080
Public / Private: 20 / 5

San Diego Christian College

A+

Santee, CA · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 125.42
Net price: $992
Earnings 10y: $49,766
Acceptance: 30.8%

California State University-Los Angeles

A+

Los Angeles, CA · Public

ROI score: 37.31
Net price: $3,967
Earnings 10y: $59,211
Acceptance: 91.3%

California State University-San Bernardino

A+

San Bernardino, CA · Public

ROI score: 32.85
Net price: $4,564
Earnings 10y: $59,977
Acceptance: 93.7%

California State University-Bakersfield

A+

Bakersfield, CA · Public

ROI score: 26.10
Net price: $5,652
Earnings 10y: $59,009
Acceptance: 93.9%

California State University-Stanislaus

A+

Turlock, CA · Public

ROI score: 26.04
Net price: $6,067
Earnings 10y: $63,188
Acceptance: 98.1%

California State University-Fullerton

A+

Fullerton, CA · Public

ROI score: 24.01
Net price: $6,555
Earnings 10y: $62,951
Acceptance: 90.5%

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%

California State University-Northridge

A+

Northridge, CA · Public

ROI score: 21.05
Net price: $7,021
Earnings 10y: $59,115
Acceptance: 93.5%

#10

California State University-East Bay

A+

Hayward, CA · Public

ROI score: 19.15
Net price: $9,320
Earnings 10y: $71,401
Acceptance: 97.4%

#11

Humphreys University

A+

Stockton, CA · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 17.76
Net price: $5,524
Earnings 10y: $39,248
Acceptance: Open / not reported

#12

California State University-Sacramento

A+

Sacramento, CA · Public

ROI score: 17.37
Net price: $9,338
Earnings 10y: $64,876
Acceptance: 94%

#13

University of California-Berkeley

A+

Berkeley, CA · Public

ROI score: 17.14
Net price: $13,481
Earnings 10y: $92,446
Acceptance: 11%

#14

California State University-Dominguez Hills

A+

Carson, CA · Public

ROI score: 16.59
Net price: $8,615
Earnings 10y: $57,162
Acceptance: 93.3%

#15

California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA · Public

ROI score: 15.37
Net price: $10,229
Earnings 10y: $62,908
Acceptance: 95.1%

#16

MiraCosta College

Oceanside, CA · Public

ROI score: 14.94
Net price: $7,339
Earnings 10y: $43,845
Acceptance: Open / not reported

#17

San Jose State University

San Jose, CA · Public

ROI score: 14.35
Net price: $13,760
Earnings 10y: $78,988
Acceptance: 84.6%

#18

University of California-Irvine

Irvine, CA · Public

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

#19

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA · Public

ROI score: 13.86
Net price: $12,278
Earnings 10y: $68,077
Acceptance: 96.4%

#20

University of California-Davis

Davis, CA · Public

ROI score: 13.71
Net price: $14,741
Earnings 10y: $80,838
Acceptance: 41.8%

#21

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA · Public

ROI score: 13.62
Net price: $16,665
Earnings 10y: $90,768
Acceptance: 31.3%

#22

California State University-Chico

Chico, CA · Public

ROI score: 11.08
Net price: $14,480
Earnings 10y: $64,172
Acceptance: 92.7%

#23

Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 10.80
Net price: $13,630
Earnings 10y: $58,896
Acceptance: 64.1%

#24

San Diego State University

San Diego, CA · Public

ROI score: 10.56
Net price: $15,364
Earnings 10y: $64,909
Acceptance: 36.2%

#25

Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 8.45
Net price: $21,413
Earnings 10y: $72,379
Acceptance: 73.1%

How we picked this list

This list starts with California schools with positive Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods 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 22.64 (20 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?

San Diego Christian College in Santee, 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?

50 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.