Best Online Master’s Programs in California 2023

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: Sep 9, 2023

Find the best online colleges in California ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs. Faculty and alumni with influential ideas are the foundation of respectable online degree programs employers can trust.

Top 10 Online Master's Programs in California

Stanford University
University of Southern California
University of California, Irvine
San Diego State University
Pepperdine University
California State University, Northridge
University of the Pacific
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fullerton
University of San Diego

California State University, Fresno 97%
California State University, Stanislaus 95%
California State University, Sacramento 94%
Azusa Pacific University 94%
California State University, Monterey Bay 93%
California State University, San Bernardino 91%
California State University, Dominguez Hills 90%
California State University, Northridge 88%
California State University, Chico 85%
University of Redlands 83%

California State University, Northridge 28 to 1
San Diego State University 27 to 1
California State University, Fullerton 27 to 1
California State University, Dominguez Hills 27 to 1
California State University, San Bernardino 27 to 1
California State University, Sacramento 26 to 1
California State University, East Bay 26 to 1
California State University, Chico 25 to 1
California State University, Fresno 23 to 1
California State University, Monterey Bay 23 to 1

University of Southern California $61,503
Pepperdine University $59,702
Stanford University $56,169
University of Redlands $54,066
University of San Diego $52,864
University of the Pacific $52,352
Biola University $44,382
Azusa Pacific University $41,510
Concordia University Irvine $38,740
California Baptist University $37,018

University of Southern California $60,446
Stanford University $54,315
University of the Pacific $50,128
Pepperdine University $37,300
Touro University California $30,620
University of San Diego $27,936
Loma Linda University $27,382
University of Redlands $23,360
Fuller Theological Seminary $21,600
Golden Gate University $19,620

Claremont Lincoln University
Fresno Pacific University
Concordia University Irvine
California State University, Monterey Bay
California State University, Stanislaus
California Baptist University
Touro University California
California State University, Dominguez Hills
California State University, San Bernardino
Notre Dame de Namur University

Stanford University 4%
University of Southern California 13%
University of California, Irvine 29%
San Diego State University 38%
University of San Diego 53%
Pepperdine University 53%
National University 55%
California State University, Fullerton 59%
Biola University 61%
California Baptist University 64%

Loma Linda University 3 to 1
Stanford University 4 to 1
Notre Dame de Namur University 8 to 1
University of Southern California 9 to 1
Azusa Pacific University 10 to 1
University of Redlands 12 to 1
Golden Gate University 12 to 1
Pepperdine University 13 to 1
Fresno Pacific University 13 to 1
University of San Diego 13 to 1

California State University, Stanislaus $5,742
California State University, Fresno $5,742
San Diego State University $5,742
California State University, Sacramento $5,742
California State University, Fullerton $5,742
California State University, Dominguez Hills $5,742
California State University, East Bay $5,742
California State University, San Bernardino $5,742
California State University, Chico $5,742
California State University, Northridge $5,742

California State University, Stanislaus $7,176
California State University, Fresno $7,176
San Diego State University $7,176
California State University, Sacramento $7,176
California State University, Fullerton $7,176
California State University, Dominguez Hills $7,176
California State University, East Bay $7,176
California State University, San Bernardino $7,176
California State University, Chico $7,176
California State University, Northridge $7,176

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in California

California’s higher education institutes span across the entire state, allowing students to study by the beach, in the forest, in small towns, and in large cities. There are over 30 high quality online programs that would allow you to earn a degree from literally anywhere in California, or the world.

The state’s largest university is the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). UCLA serves nearly 44,000 students and offers a tuition rate around $13,000. This isn’t the only school with a large student body though. California is home to 23 colleges and universities with student populations of over 20,000 students.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

However, more than half of the state’s schools serve smaller student populations, offering plenty of options for students who crave a more intimate campus experience. Additionally, California boasts 50 religiously affiliated schools. Many of these schools have high graduation rates. However, tuition costs can range greatly, from $8,000 at Bethesda University up to $54,000 at Pepperdine University.

Additionally, many of California’s colleges and universities boast influential faculty and alumni, including Neil Armstrong, Jerry Lewis, and Weird Al Yankovic. In addition to famous alumni and professors, California’s schools are also home to some of the country’s top degree programs, including nursing, business, religious studies, education, literature, and law. Many of these schools offer online courses and complete online programs in these same disciplines.

Though Hollywood has given us an inside look into California’s most popular landmarks and attractions, these one-of-a-kind places aren’t the only reason people flock to The Golden State. With hundreds of colleges and universities, as well as community and junior colleges, to choose from, students have countless opportunities to further their education in California.

Many of these opportunities are also accessible through online courses and online colleges. A growing number of online programs in California have received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools, which means online students have a higher level of quality assurance than ever before. It’s also worth noting that students who live in California can still get an in-state discount on their associate degree or bachelor’s degree even when completing online courses or online programs.

To learn more about earning your degree in California, check out some of the state’s top programs and career paths.

What are California’s Colleges & Universities?

California’s Best Overall

Online master’s degrees offered by respected colleges and universities are generally respected by employers. The main thing to consider about your online master’s choices is whether the school name is well known and respected. In many cases, employers won’t know your degree was earned online. But even if they do, a degree from a respected college is automatically to your benefit.

We rank the colleges and universities in this list by the influence of their alumni and faculty. For master’s degree students, including online master’s degree students, having faculty who are influential in your field matters a lot. It’s a big indicator that you have the chance to get a quality education. And, knowing that you will join an alumni association with some impressive people is nice, too.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Master’s Degrees

An online master’s degree costs about $40,000 for the average grad student. However, the cost of your online master’s degree will depend on the type of grad school you attend. In 2018-2019, the average cost for a year of tuition in a public grad school was $12,171. The average cost for a year of tuition in private, non-profit grad school was $27,776. An online master’s degree will usually cost about the same as a traditional master’s degree. Some schools will charge 5-10% more for online courses. This added cost pays for the technology and specialized training needed for online instruction. But getting a master’s degree online can also help you save money. The costs above don’t include expenses like housing, transportation, or certain campus fees. As an online grad student, you can save a lot of money by avoiding these added expenses. Many online master’s degree programs are also accelerated. Most master’s degree programs are designed to be completed in two years. But you may be able to earn your online master’s degree in as little as 12-18 months. Earning an accelerated online master’s degree can save you money on tuition.

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

How do we determine California's best online master's degree programs?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Median Salaries of Top Careers in California

The following graph depicts the average salaries of top occupations in different industries in California.

Source: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Annual Salary

130930Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes

146770Software Developers

169970Computer Hardware Engineers

177430Animal Scientists

230730Chief Executives

Best Online Master’s Programs in California 2023

Top 10 Online Master's Programs in California

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in California

What are California’s Colleges & Universities?

Median Salaries of Top Careers in California

Best Online Master’s Program in California 2022

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California’s Best Grad Programs in Your Area Interest