Business and office training in California

498 business and office programs in 10 fields of business and office work, with costs, results and funding that can make them free

153 schools offer these programs, and California has approved every one for workforce funding. Compare the 10 fields below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.

Business and office training covers office work most employers need: business administration and management, accounting and bookkeeping, customer service, human resources, project management and paralegal work, and the courses that lead to a real estate or insurance license, along with interpreter and translator training. Most are certificates or short courses; some are two-year degrees.

All job training programs in California, every line of work

Accredited business schools in California, each school with its accreditor

Business and office training by state, to compare California with other states

Compare business and office programs in California: cost, pay and results

Accounting and bookkeeping classes
146 programs at 92 schools
Most cost
$1,050 to $4,828
Earned a year, estimated
about $40,500
Working 6 months later
59%
Finished
73%
Business administration programs
89 programs at 35 schools
Most cost
$1,104 to $3,070
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
Finished
88%
Administrative assistant training
77 programs at 49 schools
Most cost
$644 to $3,599
Earned a year, estimated
about $36,100
Working 6 months later
76%
Finished
69%
Project management certification
72 programs at 30 schools
Most cost
$2,426 to $5,505
Earned a year, estimated
about $72,400
Working 6 months later
71%
Finished
94%
Human resources training
38 programs at 24 schools
Most cost
$1,599 to $3,400
Earned a year, estimated
about $56,600
Working 6 months later
62%
Finished
84%
Digital marketing courses
24 programs at 17 schools
Most cost
$874 to $2,950
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
Working 6 months later
50%
Finished
89%
Paralegal programs
21 programs at 14 schools
Most cost
$2,882 to $8,491
Earned a year, estimated
about $62,000
Working 6 months later
24%
Finished
90%
Real estate school
14 programs at 11 schools
Most cost
$1,012 to $2,900
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
Working 6 months later
50%
Finished
87%
Interpreter and translator training
14 programs at 8 schools
Most cost
$2,023 to $4,026
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
Working 6 months later
55%
Finished
99%
Customer service training
3 programs at 2 schools
Most cost
Not enough data
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Finished
Not reported

Each figure is the middle program of that field. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools in California may offer more. How these figures are made

Is there free business and office training in California?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program counted on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.¹²³
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁴ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.³
Or pay yourself. Without funding, prices differ by field: most digital marketing programs in California cost $874 to $2,950, and most paralegal programs $2,882 to $8,491. Each field's page lists every program with its price.

Other job training in California, by line of work

Programs approved in California in each line of work.

Where the California business and office numbers come from

Which California programs are counted?

Programs California approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) in the fields listed above. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁵ They come from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what California offers.

What the figures for each field mean

Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).

Sources for the funding facts about business and office programs in California

Show the 5 sourcesHide the sources

Nursing and patient care

Medical office and lab

General healthcare

Skilled trades

Transportation and logistics

Computers and IT