Ranking
Best Zoology/Animal Biology Colleges in California 2026
University of California-San Diego leads this ROI ranking with an A+ value grade and a 17.03 school-wide ROI proxy. EduGradify ranks 7 eligible colleges here by earnings against net price.
7 eligible California colleges reporting awards in Zoology/Animal Biology, ranked by EduGradify's school-wide value signal.
- Schools ranked
- 7
- Cheapest net price
- $11,531
- Top earnings 10y
- $84,943
- Public / Private
- 6 / 1
University of California-San Diego
A+- ROI proxy
- 17.03
- Net price
- $12,470
- Earnings 10y
- $84,943
- Acceptance
- 26.7%
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
A- ROI proxy
- 15.59
- Net price
- $11,531
- Earnings 10y
- $71,902
- Acceptance
- 75.2%
University of California-Davis
A- ROI proxy
- 13.71
- Net price
- $14,741
- Earnings 10y
- $80,838
- Acceptance
- 41.8%
University of California-Riverside
A- ROI proxy
- 11.83
- Net price
- $14,304
- Earnings 10y
- $67,699
- Acceptance
- 76.4%
University of California-Santa Barbara
A- ROI proxy
- 11.63
- Net price
- $16,109
- Earnings 10y
- $74,915
- Acceptance
- 33%
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
B- ROI proxy
- 9.04
- Net price
- $13,171
- Earnings 10y
- $47,626
- Acceptance
- 98.2%
The Master's University and Seminary
D- ROI proxy
- 4.37
- Net price
- $32,647
- Earnings 10y
- $57,106
- Acceptance
- 84%
How we picked this list
This list starts with California schools reporting awards in Zoology/Animal Biology, excludes low-denominator, very small and incomplete records, then sorts by EduGradify's school-wide ROI proxy: ten-year median earnings weighed against average net price. The eligible set's average EduGradify ROI proxy is 11.89 (6 public, 1 private).
ROI lists require average net price of at least $4,600, enrollment of at least 500 and a reported graduation rate so unusually small denominators or incomplete records cannot dominate the public leaderboard.
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?
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 proxy 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?
7 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.