Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods at California Lutheran University

California Lutheran's management sciences program outperforms 60% of similar programs in California despite falling slightly below the national median—a noteworthy achievement given that many California programs struggle in this field. First-year graduates earn $57,276, which exceeds the state median by over $2,000 and puts them ahead of larger state schools like Cal State Fullerton and San Francisco State. The relatively low debt burden of $24,728 creates a manageable 0.43 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates owe less than half their first-year salary.

The comparison to UC programs like Santa Barbara ($66,099) and San Diego ($60,973) provides useful context: you're looking at about $3,000-$9,000 less annually than top-tier programs, but you're also likely paying significantly less in tuition at this 89%-admission-rate private school. For families weighing a manageable private college environment against the prestige of UCs, this program lands in reasonable territory—graduates can handle their debt load and earn more than most state-school peers.

The moderate sample size and solid state ranking suggest this is a stable program that consistently places graduates into decent positions. For a student who wants the attention of a smaller school and can keep debt near the $25,000 level, this represents a practical path into quantitative business roles without the financial strain that often comes with private universities.