What is Accounting?
Accounting is defined as a process of recording both receivables and expenditures that pertain to a business. The accounting process includes storing, sorting, retrieving, summarizing, and presenting these transactions to upper management or oversight agencies and regulators. California’s economy, as measured by its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), represents 14% of the total US economy. If California were a country all by itself, that percentage would make it the 5th largest economy worldwide. California’s manufacturing sector accounts for 12+% of goods produced in the US.
The ten top industries in California are:
- Construction - $111.3 billion
- Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, food services - $130 billion
- Retail trade - $153.4 billion
- Finance and insurance - $155.6 billon
- Wholesale trade - $158.2 billion
- Educational services, healthcare, social assistance - $218.3 billion
- Information - $287.8 billion
- Manufacturing - $320.7 billion
- Professional and business services - $397.3 billion
- Real estate, rental, and leasing - $504 billion
The economy of California is also fueled by Hollywood. The production of movies in Hollywood brings a large amount of revenue for the state. In 2015, about $49 billion was contributed, with the creation of about 2.4 million jobs.
Each and every one of these industries must hire accountants to maintain their books, track their transactions, call in debts owed to the company, and file their taxes and SEC paperwork. No matter what industry is booming near you, and in California that’s most of them, the skills of an accountant are going to be absolutely necessary.
Featured Online Programs
Top Ranked Campus & Online Accounting Programs in California
1
Claremont McKenna College
Score: 85.57
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $64,150
- Out-of-State:$64,150
- Net Price: $28,701
- Acceptance Rate: 10%
- Retention Rate: 96%
- Graduation Rate: 91%
- Total Enrollment: 1,389
- Undergrad Students: 1,386
- Graduate Students: 3
- Grads Salary: $92,000
- Student-to-faculty: 8:1
2
University of Southern California
Score: 83.28
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $68,237
- Out-of-State:$68,237
- Net Price: $36,808
- Acceptance Rate: 12%
- Retention Rate: 97%
- Graduation Rate: 92%
- Total Enrollment: 48,945
- Undergrad Students: 20,699
- Graduate Students: 28,246
- Grads Salary: $92,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
3
University of California-Santa Barbara
Score: 82.52
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $14,965
- Out-of-State:$45,742
- Net Price: $16,874
- Acceptance Rate: 26%
- Retention Rate: 92%
- Graduation Rate: 86%
- Total Enrollment: 26,420
- Undergrad Students: 23,459
- Graduate Students: 2,961
- Grads Salary: $85,000
- Student-to-faculty: 17:1
4
San Diego State University
Score: 78.22
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $8,290
- Out-of-State:$20,170
- Net Price: $13,017
- Acceptance Rate: 39%
- Retention Rate: 89%
- Graduation Rate: 78%
- Total Enrollment: 37,402
- Undergrad Students: 32,194
- Graduate Students: 5,208
- Grads Salary: $82,000
- Student-to-faculty: 25:1
5
Santa Clara University
Score: 76.77
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $59,241
- Out-of-State:$59,241
- Net Price: $50,551
- Acceptance Rate: 52%
- Retention Rate: 92%
- Graduation Rate: 89%
- Total Enrollment: 9,178
- Undergrad Students: 6,115
- Graduate Students: 3,063
- Grads Salary: $96,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
6
University of San Diego
Score: 74.87
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $56,444
- Out-of-State:$56,444
- Net Price: $36,008
- Acceptance Rate: 53%
- Retention Rate: 90%
- Graduation Rate: 83%
- Total Enrollment: 8,815
- Undergrad Students: 5,669
- Graduate Students: 3,146
- Grads Salary: $85,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
7
University of the Pacific
Score: 74.48
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $55,340
- Out-of-State:$55,340
- Net Price: $28,164
- Acceptance Rate: 93%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 74%
- Total Enrollment: 6,277
- Undergrad Students: 3,294
- Graduate Students: 2,983
- Grads Salary: $91,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
8
Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto
Score: 73.75
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $14,760
- Out-of-State:$14,760
- Net Price: $18,306
- Acceptance Rate: 100%
- Retention Rate: 100%
- Graduation Rate: 75%
- Total Enrollment: 393
- Undergrad Students: 159
- Graduate Students: 234
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 7:1
9
Saint Mary's College of California
Score: 71.63
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $56,134
- Out-of-State:$56,134
- Net Price: $32,129
- Acceptance Rate: 88%
- Retention Rate: 86%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Total Enrollment: 2,765
- Undergrad Students: 2,003
- Graduate Students: 762
- Grads Salary: $86,000
- Student-to-faculty: 9:1
10
Pepperdine University
Score: 71.28
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $66,742
- Out-of-State:$66,742
- Net Price: $47,804
- Acceptance Rate: 49%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 84%
- Total Enrollment: 10,030
- Undergrad Students: 3,662
- Graduate Students: 6,368
- Grads Salary: $84,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
11
California Lutheran University
Score: 70.89
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $50,670
- Out-of-State:$50,670
- Net Price: $30,416
- Acceptance Rate: 87%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 73%
- Total Enrollment: 3,615
- Undergrad Students: 2,513
- Graduate Students: 1,102
- Grads Salary: $85,000
- Student-to-faculty: 14:1
12
University of Redlands
Score: 70.66
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $57,614
- Out-of-State:$57,614
- Net Price: $28,157
- Acceptance Rate: 82%
- Retention Rate: 80%
- Graduation Rate: 67%
- Total Enrollment: 3,460
- Undergrad Students: 2,313
- Graduate Students: 1,147
- Grads Salary: $85,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
13
University of La Verne
Score: 70.49
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $47,000
- Out-of-State:$47,000
- Net Price: $25,103
- Acceptance Rate: 74%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 63%
- Total Enrollment: 5,662
- Undergrad Students: 3,365
- Graduate Students: 2,297
- Grads Salary: $85,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
14
Scripps College
Score: 70.13
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $63,434
- Out-of-State:$63,434
- Net Price: $43,923
- Acceptance Rate: 28%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 84%
- Total Enrollment: 1,099
- Undergrad Students: 1,080
- Graduate Students: 19
- Grads Salary: $73,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
15
Fresno Pacific University
Score: 69.39
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $35,558
- Out-of-State:$35,558
- Net Price: $15,255
- Acceptance Rate: 75%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 50%
- Total Enrollment: 3,032
- Undergrad Students: 1,744
- Graduate Students: 1,288
- Grads Salary: $84,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
16
California State University-Northridge
Score: 68.92
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,095
- Out-of-State:$18,975
- Net Price: $8,936
- Acceptance Rate: 91%
- Retention Rate: 75%
- Graduation Rate: 56%
- Total Enrollment: 37,579
- Undergrad Students: 32,181
- Graduate Students: 5,398
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
17
University of San Francisco
Score: 68.46
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $58,222
- Out-of-State:$58,222
- Net Price: $42,953
- Acceptance Rate: 71%
- Retention Rate: 81%
- Graduation Rate: 74%
- Total Enrollment: 9,688
- Undergrad Students: 6,018
- Graduate Students: 3,670
- Grads Salary: $85,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
18
Chapman University
Score: 68.16
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $62,784
- Out-of-State:$62,784
- Net Price: $45,033
- Acceptance Rate: 73%
- Retention Rate: 91%
- Graduation Rate: 84%
- Total Enrollment: 10,014
- Undergrad Students: 7,869
- Graduate Students: 2,145
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 12:1
19
California State University-Sacramento
Score: 67.97
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $7,602
- Out-of-State:$19,482
- Net Price: $11,596
- Acceptance Rate: 93%
- Retention Rate: 80%
- Graduation Rate: 54%
- Total Enrollment: 31,818
- Undergrad Students: 28,921
- Graduate Students: 2,897
- Grads Salary: $81,000
- Student-to-faculty: 24:1
20
Menlo College
Score: 67.93
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $51,070
- Out-of-State:$51,070
- Net Price: $29,151
- Acceptance Rate: 62%
- Retention Rate: 71%
- Graduation Rate: 57%
- Total Enrollment: 800
- Undergrad Students: 800
- Graduate Students: N/A
- Grads Salary: $87,000
- Student-to-faculty: 15:1
21
Biola University
Score: 67.44
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $46,704
- Out-of-State:$46,704
- Net Price: $31,522
- Acceptance Rate: 57%
- Retention Rate: 84%
- Graduation Rate: 72%
- Total Enrollment: 5,387
- Undergrad Students: 3,499
- Graduate Students: 1,888
- Grads Salary: $72,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
22
Loyola Marymount University
Score: 67.3
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $58,974
- Out-of-State:$58,974
- Net Price: $52,815
- Acceptance Rate: 41%
- Retention Rate: 88%
- Graduation Rate: 82%
- Total Enrollment: 10,165
- Undergrad Students: 7,299
- Graduate Students: 2,866
- Grads Salary: $77,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
23
Point Loma Nazarene University
Score: 65.85
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $43,550
- Out-of-State:$43,550
- Net Price: $34,933
- Acceptance Rate: 82%
- Retention Rate: 85%
- Graduation Rate: 76%
- Total Enrollment: 4,319
- Undergrad Students: 3,154
- Graduate Students: 1,165
- Grads Salary: $71,000
- Student-to-faculty: 13:1
24
Mount Saint Mary's University
Score: 65.82
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $48,132
- Out-of-State:$48,132
- Net Price: $28,717
- Acceptance Rate: 76%
- Retention Rate: 77%
- Graduation Rate: 60%
- Total Enrollment: 2,440
- Undergrad Students: 1,797
- Graduate Students: 643
- Grads Salary: $78,000
- Student-to-faculty: 11:1
25
Azusa Pacific University
Score: 65.57
- Undergraduate Tuition
- In-State: $43,600
- Out-of-State:$43,600
- Net Price: $26,666
- Acceptance Rate: 87%
- Retention Rate: 78%
- Graduation Rate: 61%
- Total Enrollment: 7,169
- Undergrad Students: 3,348
- Graduate Students: 3,821
- Grads Salary: $76,000
- Student-to-faculty: 10:1
