The Best Bachelor's in Finance Programs in California for 2027

University of San Diego's Finance major at the Knauss School of Business is built around FINA 300 Financial Management, FINA 402 Investments, FINA 404 Advanced Corporate Finance, and FINA 408 Financial Statement Analysis, with the curriculum explicitly designed to prepare students for the first two levels of the CFA Institute exam. In FINA 410, students manage an actual investment portfolio with real money, and the broader program applies student analysis to a live $200,000 donor fund. Poets&Quants ranked Knauss the No. 3 undergraduate business school in California in 2025. Students can also pursue a double degree with partner universities in Spain, Italy, Portugal, or France, and join the Beta Alpha Psi finance fraternity.

USD's 90.4 Program Score ranks fourth among these four, though its 84% graduation rate trails only Santa Clara's 88%, and its 52% admit rate sits between LMU's 45% and Pepperdine's 63%. Tuition is flat at $58,420, the lowest of the four; over four years that totals $233,680, saving $42,840 against Pepperdine's total sticker price for the same degree length. Enrollment is 9,714.

The program's own placement data shows 91.4% of 2024-25 respondents had a first full-time job offer within three months of graduating, with a self-reported average starting salary of $68,600 for finance and banking graduates. That trails the national BLS median of $88,870 a year for financial analysts, a figure covering the whole experienced field rather than new graduates. It fits a student who wants the cheapest of these four price tags alongside a live-portfolio requirement and fast job placement.

University of San Francisco's finance program (BSBA) sits inside the School of Management and frames financial management as a tool for "responsible use of funds." Students build a real investment portfolio, lead an international capital budgeting project, and analyze financial statements to assess company performance; those who want more can add the Investment minor, which puts real money under management in the Student Managed Fund course. Outside class, the Student Investment Club and the Beta Alpha Psi honor society give finance majors a second track to sharpen the same skills.

USF carries a Program Score of 88, the highest of the California finance programs reviewed here, built on a 70% graduation rate and a 62% admit rate, the most selective of this group. As a private university, USF charges one flat rate regardless of residency: $59,950 a year for both in-state and out-of-state students, on an enrollment of 8,913. That combination, selective admissions plus a strong grad rate, fits a student who wants a competitive, mission-driven finance program in a major financial-services market and can absorb the sticker price.

Nationally, financial analysts earn a median $88,870 a year per the BLS Occupational Outlook, the same benchmark that applies across every school in this comparison, not a USF-specific placement figure. Four years of USF's sticker tuition runs $239,800 before aid, about 2.7 times that national median salary.

Point Loma's Finance, B.S. Business Administration sits in the Fermanian School of Business and pairs financial management, valuation, and investments coursework with a values-based decision framework. The curriculum runs through capital markets, mergers, corporate restructuring, and financial planning and forecasting, and students can compete on a global stage in the CFA Institute Research Challenge or join the Finance and Investment Society. The program's own alumni list includes placements at Qualcomm, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, EY, and Viasat.

Point Loma Nazarene University posts a Program Score of 81.1, driven by a 77% graduation rate, the highest of the four programs profiled here, and an 84% admit rate, the most accessible. Tuition is a flat $45,300 for all students regardless of residency, on an enrollment of 4,757. That mix of a high grad rate and comparatively open admissions suits a student who wants strong on-time completion odds without the most competitive application process.

Set against the national $88,870 median salary for financial analysts (BLS Occupational Outlook), four years of PLNU's sticker tuition totals $181,200, about 2 times that benchmark, before any aid is applied.

Saint Mary's Finance Degree is STEM-designated, the only one of the four programs here with that label, and runs through the School of Economics and Business Administration. Students take five of six finance electives, choosing among International Financial Management, Investments, New Venture Financing, Intermediate Corporate Finance, Equity Valuation, and Financial Analytics, and can compete in the CFA Institute Research Challenge. The business school is AACSB accredited, which the school cites as placing it among the top 6% of business schools worldwide.

SMC's Program Score of 79.5 rests on a 70% graduation rate and an 87% admit rate, the most accessible of the four programs here. Tuition is flat at $57,303 regardless of residency, and enrollment is the smallest of the group at 2,734, meaning finance majors share a business school with fewer peers than at USF or CBU. That profile fits a student who wants the STEM designation and AACSB accreditation on a smaller campus, and who values open admissions over selectivity.

Against the $88,870 national median for financial analysts (BLS Occupational Outlook), four years of SMC's sticker tuition adds up to $229,212, roughly 2.6 times that salary benchmark before aid.

California Baptist University's Finance, BS is a 78-unit program with two concentrations: Corporate Accounting Finance and Financial Planning. The Financial Planning concentration meets the coursework requirement to sit for the Certified Financial Planner exam, and the program also positions students to pursue the CFA designation. Outside the classroom, the CBU Investment Group runs a student-managed fund with a stated target of an 8% annual return and a 3% minimum real return above inflation and costs.

CBU's Program Score is 73.8, the lowest of the four programs profiled here, reflecting a 62% graduation rate against an 85% admit rate. Tuition is flat at $39,078 for all students, the cheapest of the group by $6,222 a year versus the next-lowest option, Point Loma's $45,300, on the largest enrollment here at 11,902. That combination fits a cost-conscious student targeting the CFP exam track who is willing to accept a lower graduation rate than the other three schools in exchange for the lowest sticker price.

Measured against the $88,870 national median for financial analysts (BLS Occupational Outlook), four years of CBU's sticker tuition totals $156,312, about 1.8 times that benchmark, the smallest multiple of the four schools here.

The finance major at California State University-Northridge sits in the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics, Department of Finance, Financial Planning, and Insurance. It is one of ten Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) options, a degree the college says emphasizes math and analytical skills. Students choose among three options. Financial analysis gives a general education in financial theory and practice, with software for quantitative analysis of corporate finance and investments. Financial planning prepares students to become personal financial planners. Risk management and insurance prepares them for careers in those fields. All finance students begin with a common business core, take investment management in their finance core and complete a senior capstone project. The college reports AACSB accreditation and says it has about 7,000 students and an alumni network of more than 50,000.

Federal data show a 57% graduation rate and a 93% admit rate at Cal State Northridge. In-state tuition is $6,084 and out-of-state tuition is $18,684. The program earns a Program Score of 71 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits students who want a quantitative business degree and may want to specialize in corporate finance, planning or insurance.

La Sierra University offers a bachelor's degree in finance through its Tom & Vi Zapara School of Business. The school caps every course at 30 students or fewer, and its professors hold master's degrees or above, with regular office hours. A Finance Lab lets students trade stocks, options, futures, bonds and mutual funds from more than 50 global exchanges and use StockTrak software for virtual trading. The lab's Investor Club, open to students, employees and alumni, manages a $100,000 portfolio for the business school. Outside class, the school points to service-learning courses, a Students in Free Enterprise team, a business club and an annual Meet the Firms Night. Graduates typically move into roles such as financial analyst, financial adviser or financial manager, and the page notes that advanced positions often call for a master's degree.

This program has a Program Score of 65.4 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. La Sierra reports a 60% graduation rate and a 91% admit rate. In-state tuition is $36,720, and out-of-state tuition is the same. The school enrolls about 1,574 students. It fits students who want small classes and hands-on trading experience, and who plan to start in entry-level finance roles or continue to graduate study.

National University offers a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. The degree combines ten foundational courses with six concentration courses, and the school says it prepares students for opportunities in business, entrepreneurship and nonprofit organizations. The finance concentration covers three areas: financial institutions such as banks, insurance companies and credit unions, investments including bonds and securities analysis, and financial management for businesses, nonprofits and governmental agencies. Foundational courses include management, marketing, information systems, business analytics, operations, international business and ethics, ending in a two-part capstone. Courses run four weeks each, enrollment is year-round, and prerequisites include statistics, micro and macroeconomics, financial and managerial accounting, and business law.

The program has a Program Score of 65.2 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. The school is open admission, and federal data show a 43% graduation rate. Tuition is $13,284 for in-state and out-of-state students alike. The program fits working adults who need the pace of short courses and a flexible start date, and who can plan around the lower federal completion rate.

The Bachelor of Arts in Finance is delivered online by the University of Arizona Global Campus (Ashford University), which the school's page lists under the Ashford University record. The school reports IACBE accreditation. Courses run in accelerated 5-week terms, students take one course at a time, and approved college credits can transfer in. The page lists a $0 application fee.

The curriculum starts with the principles of finance, moves into the principles of investments, and includes subjects such as markets, risk management, and micro and macroeconomics. Students can take electives in international finance or financial risk and mitigation. Learning outcomes center on financial analysis, long-range financial planning, and judging business opportunities from financial and non-financial information. The federal data shows an 11% graduation rate, so this format suits a self-directed adult learner more than a traditional on-campus student. The school is open admission. In-state and out-of-state tuition are both $11,040. The program earns a Program Score of 63.1 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. Prospective students should ask about transfer credit early, since it can shorten the path.