College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best General Business/Commerce Schools in California

22 Colleges in California
2,956 General Business Degrees Awarded
$51,660 Avg Early-Career Salary
General Business/Commerce is of the hottest degree programs in the United States, coming in as the #16 most popular major in the country. So, there are lots of possibilities to explore when you're trying to determine where you want to get your degree.

In 2025, College Factual analyzed 22 schools in order to identify the top ones for its Best General Business/Commerce Schools in California ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 2,956 degrees in general business/commerce annually.

What's on this page: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great General Business/Commerce School

Best General Business/Commerce Schools in California The general business program you select can have a big impact on your future. That's why we developed our collection of Best Schools for General Business/Commerce rankings. For our Best Overall General Business/Commerce School rankings, we roll up the results of our degree-level rankings, weighted by the number of degrees awarded at that level.

In order to find the schools that are the best fit for you, you may want to filter to one of the degree levels below.

General Business/Commerce Rankings by Degree Level

Associate Degrees in General Business
Bachelor's Degrees in General Business
Master's Degrees in General Business
Doctor's Degrees in General Business

The general business school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we've developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of the Best General Business/Commerce Schools in California. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology.

Best Schools for General Business/Commerce in California

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the general business degrees they offer, see the list below.

10 Top California Schools in General Business

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
172 General Business Degrees Awarded
5.2% Growth in Graduates

Every student who is interested in general business/commerce has to look into Saint Mary's College of California. Located in the suburb of Moraga, SMC is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #148 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means SMC is a great college overall.

There were roughly 172 general business/commerce students who graduated with this degree at SMC in the most recent data year. After graduation, general business degree recipients usually earn about $46,958 in the first five years of their career.

More information about a degree in general business/commerce from Saint Mary’s College of California

2
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
126 General Business Degrees Awarded
$77,027 Median Starting Salary

It is hard to beat University of Redlands if you want to pursue a degree in general business/commerce. University of Redlands is a small private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Redlands. A Best Colleges rank of #374 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means University of Redlands is a great university overall.

There were approximately 126 general business/commerce students who graduated with this degree at University of Redlands in the most recent year we have data available. General Business/Commerce degree recipients from University of Redlands receive an earnings boost of around $25,367 above the average income of general business/commerce majors.

More information about a degree in general business/commerce from University of Redlands

3
Cosumnes River crest
Cosumnes River College
Sacramento, CA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
20th Most Popular In CA
31 General Business Degrees Awarded

Cosumnes River College is a wonderful choice for students pursuing a degree in general business/commerce. Cosumnes River is a fairly large public college located in the large city of Sacramento. A Best Colleges rank of #206 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Cosumnes River is a great college overall.

There were about 31 general business/commerce students who graduated with this degree at Cosumnes River in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general business/commerce from Cosumnes River College

4
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
20th Most Popular In CA

City College of San Francisco is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in general business/commerce. City College of San Francisco is a fairly large public college located in the city of San Francisco. A Best Colleges rank of #228 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means City College of San Francisco is a great college overall.

There were about 30 general business/commerce students who graduated with this degree at City College of San Francisco in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general business/commerce from City College of San Francisco

5
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
39 General Business Degrees Awarded
2.6% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large city of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #222 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Loyola Marymount is a great university overall.

There were about 39 general business/commerce students who graduated with this degree at Loyola Marymount in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the general business/commerce major at Loyola Marymount University earn $50,265 above the average college graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in general business/commerce from Loyola Marymount University

6
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
50 General Business Degrees Awarded
6.0% Growth in Graduates

Located in the midsize suburb of Aptos, Cabrillo College is a public college with a moderately-sized student population. This college ranks 104th out of 161 schools for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 50 general business/commerce students who graduated with this degree at Cabrillo College in the most recent year we have data available. Soon after graduation, general business degree recipients typically earn about $31,951 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in general business/commerce from Cabrillo College

7
Merced Community College District crest
Merced College
Merced, CA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
29th Most Popular In CA

Merced Community College District is a large public college located in the city of Merced. A Best Colleges rank of #261 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means Merced Community College District is a great college overall.

There were about 13 general business/commerce students who graduated with this degree at Merced Community College District in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general business/commerce from Merced College

8
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
36th Most Popular In CA
39 General Business Degrees Awarded

Riverside City College is a fairly large public college located in the large city of Riverside. A Best Colleges rank of #576 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means Riverside City College is a great college overall.

There were roughly 39 general business/commerce students who graduated with this degree at Riverside City College in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in general business/commerce from Riverside City College

9
College of the Desert crest
College of the Desert
Palm Desert, CA
Associate Degree Highest Degree Type
46th Most Popular In CA
37.5% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small city of Palm Desert, College of the Desert is a public college with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #602 out of 2,152 colleges nationwide means College of the Desert is a great college overall.

There were roughly 16 general business/commerce students who graduated with this degree at College of the Desert in the most recent year we have data available.

More information about a degree in general business/commerce from College of the Desert

10
Bachelor's Degree Highest Degree Type
$45,439 Median Starting Salary

Located in the rural area of Angwin, PUC is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #251 out of 2,152 schools nationwide means PUC is a great college overall.

There were approximately 12 general business/commerce students who graduated with this degree at PUC in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the general business program make about $45,439 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a degree in general business/commerce from Pacific Union College

Best General Business/Commerce Colleges in the Far Western US Region

Explore all the Best General Business/Commerce Colleges in the Far Western US Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Washington 300 2,158
Oregon 266 645
Nevada 192 312
Hawaii 164 28

View All Rankings >

General Business/Commerce is one of 21 different types of Business, Management & Marketing programs to choose from.

General Business Concentrations

Major Annual Graduates
General Business/Commerce 2,956

View All General Business Concentrations >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Business Administration & Management 61,616
Accounting 7,141
Management Sciences & Quantitative Methods 5,860
Business Support & Assistant Services 2,007
Real Estate 1,988
Human Resource Management 1,768
Finance & Financial Management 1,544
Marketing 1,412
Entrepreneurial Studies 1,401
Hospitality Management 1,106

View All General Business Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options