Colleges in California: Costs, Admission Rates & Salaries
545 institutions tracked in California. Average net price across the state is $20,642/year, the average admission rate is 70%, and the strongest graduate earnings reach $166,642. The largest 100 colleges are listed below with real College Scorecard data.
| College | City | Size | Acceptance | Net price | Salary (10yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of the People | Pasadena | 22,688 | — | — | — |
| University of California-Riverside | Riverside | 22,593 | 76% | $12,672 | $72,974 |
| Santa Ana College | Santa Ana | 22,485 | — | $7,224 | $48,917 |
| Long Beach City College | Long Beach | 22,427 | — | $1,192 | $44,903 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | 21,996 | 31% | $18,832 | $96,304 |
| California State University-Fresno | Fresno | 21,605 | 95% | $5,418 | $62,756 |
| Pasadena City College | Pasadena | 21,466 | — | $16,993 | $47,494 |
| Santa Monica College | Santa Monica | 21,440 | — | $1,693 | $46,589 |
| Fresno City College | Fresno | 21,251 | — | $3,839 | $39,674 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles | 20,443 | 10% | $33,056 | $103,420 |
| California State University-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | 19,562 | 91% | $2,385 | $62,555 |
| El Camino Community College District | Torrance | 19,210 | — | $13,761 | $47,561 |
| Cerritos College | Norwalk | 18,870 | — | $1,577 | $46,657 |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco | 18,639 | 96% | $9,803 | $73,299 |
| Southwestern College | Chula Vista | 18,614 | — | $5,663 | $47,535 |
| Riverside City College | Riverside | 18,346 | — | $24,678 | $44,956 |
| Chaffey College | Rancho Cucamonga | 18,132 | — | $24,504 | $45,674 |
| University of California-Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | 17,940 | 66% | $18,549 | $73,362 |
| Palomar College | San Marcos | 17,712 | — | $1,839 | $48,110 |
| Saddleback College | Mission Viejo | 17,684 | — | $23,913 | $51,222 |
| Sacramento City College | Sacramento | 17,657 | — | $5,713 | $45,109 |
| City College of San Francisco | San Francisco | 17,348 | — | $5,852 | $53,794 |
| Bakersfield College | Bakersfield | 17,280 | — | $4,330 | $41,011 |
| Fullerton College | Fullerton | 17,121 | — | $1,302 | $49,216 |
| San Diego Mesa College | San Diego | 16,098 | — | $21,767 | $50,947 |
| Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa | 16,091 | — | $1,850 | $53,930 |
| College of the Canyons | Santa Clarita | 15,832 | — | $19,542 | $52,411 |
| San Joaquin Delta College | Stockton | 15,781 | — | $2,451 | $46,256 |
| Rio Hondo College | Whittier | 15,684 | — | $15,389 | $48,362 |
| Diablo Valley College | Pleasant Hill | 15,358 | — | $710 | $56,684 |
| De Anza College | Cupertino | 15,264 | — | $3,801 | $62,175 |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District | San Jacinto | 15,259 | — | $8,198 | $43,175 |
| Modesto Junior College | Modesto | 15,109 | — | $5,954 | $45,551 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa | 15,080 | — | $6,765 | $52,482 |
| California State University-San Bernardino | San Bernardino | 15,023 | 94% | $3,946 | $61,951 |
| California State University-San Marcos | San Marcos | 14,877 | 95% | $10,939 | $67,217 |
| Sierra College | Rocklin | 14,122 | — | $27,774 | $48,499 |
| Cosumnes River College | Sacramento | 14,023 | — | $3,676 | $46,541 |
| California State University-Chico | Chico | 13,631 | 93% | $14,157 | $70,012 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College | Woodland Hills | 13,436 | — | $3,150 | $47,028 |
| Cypress College | Cypress | 13,354 | — | $759 | $50,380 |
| Los Angeles Valley College | Valley Glen | 12,601 | — | $7,478 | $46,096 |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills | Carson | 12,538 | 93% | $7,244 | $62,587 |
| San Bernardino Valley College | San Bernardino | 12,234 | — | $17,782 | $43,912 |
| Grossmont College | El Cajon | 12,163 | — | $3,900 | $45,404 |
| Moorpark College | Moorpark | 12,082 | — | — | $52,317 |
| College of the Sequoias | Visalia | 11,562 | — | $1,096 | $43,147 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District | Lancaster | 11,534 | — | $85 | $39,944 |
| Chabot College | Hayward | 11,392 | — | $9,873 | $53,180 |
| San Diego Miramar College | San Diego | 11,271 | — | $21,008 | $53,737 |
| Los Angeles City College | Los Angeles | 11,198 | — | $4,875 | $42,194 |
| Foothill College | Los Altos Hills | 11,137 | — | $2,851 | $64,467 |
| National University | San Diego | 10,794 | — | $24,008 | $73,988 |
| Santiago Canyon College | Orange | 10,579 | — | $2,040 | $52,421 |
| Glendale Community College | Glendale | 10,509 | — | $9,554 | $46,476 |
| San Diego City College | San Diego | 10,441 | — | $18,693 | $44,127 |
| Irvine Valley College | Irvine | 10,286 | — | $21,874 | $53,719 |
| MiraCosta College | Oceanside | 10,278 | — | $5,146 | $49,887 |
| College of the Desert | Palm Desert | 10,207 | — | $17,769 | $44,228 |
| Ventura College | Ventura | 10,150 | — | — | $46,592 |
| Merced College | Merced | 10,001 | — | $714 | $43,058 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College | Los Angeles | 9,998 | — | $3,531 | $42,277 |
| Santa Barbara City College | Santa Barbara | 9,889 | — | $2,684 | $53,616 |
| California State University-East Bay | Hayward | 9,809 | 97% | $6,858 | $73,868 |
| Hartnell College | Salinas | 9,453 | — | — | $49,016 |
| Folsom Lake College | Folsom | 9,414 | — | $4,339 | $47,048 |
| Moreno Valley College | Moreno Valley | 9,346 | — | $26,725 | $45,741 |
| Golden West College | Huntington Beach | 9,034 | — | — | $50,592 |
| Butte College | Oroville | 8,890 | — | $4,734 | $44,807 |
| Norco College | Norco | 8,779 | — | $27,120 | $48,582 |
| California State University-Bakersfield | Bakersfield | 8,577 | 94% | $4,001 | $62,381 |
| California State University-Stanislaus | Turlock | 8,385 | 98% | $3,565 | $65,560 |
| University of California-Merced | Merced | 8,372 | 91% | $11,583 | $69,352 |
| Citrus College | Glendora | 8,286 | — | $850 | $46,835 |
| California Baptist University | Riverside | 8,179 | 85% | $24,138 | $67,633 |
| Solano Community College | Fairfield | 8,061 | — | $2,905 | $47,449 |
| Allan Hancock College | Santa Maria | 8,052 | — | $3,975 | $46,603 |
| Cabrillo College | Aptos | 8,002 | — | $17,735 | $48,956 |
| Los Angeles Mission College | Sylmar | 7,999 | — | $3,881 | $45,697 |
| College of San Mateo | San Mateo | 7,977 | — | — | $60,507 |
| Clovis Community College | Fresno | 7,956 | — | $2,122 | — |
| Evergreen Valley College | San Jose | 7,688 | — | $9,375 | $55,874 |
| Imperial Valley College | Imperial | 7,652 | — | $1,562 | $40,691 |
| Skyline College | San Bruno | 7,620 | — | $616 | $62,578 |
| Stanford University | Stanford | 7,554 | 4% | $12,307 | $125,340 |
| Chapman University | Orange | 7,478 | 65% | $46,708 | $80,694 |
| Coastline Community College | Fountain Valley | 7,393 | — | $12,259 | $51,338 |
| Los Medanos College | Pittsburg | 7,320 | — | $25,231 | $49,834 |
| Las Positas College | Livermore | 7,299 | — | $22,259 | $57,379 |
| West Los Angeles College | Culver City | 7,284 | — | $5,238 | $45,826 |
| Cuesta College | San Luis Obispo | 7,180 | — | $5,891 | $53,127 |
| Cuyamaca College | El Cajon | 7,177 | — | $7,178 | $45,171 |
| San Jose City College | San Jose | 7,105 | — | $15,965 | $52,460 |
| Ohlone College | Fremont | 7,099 | — | $6,828 | $61,853 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles | 7,094 | 45% | $50,518 | $86,034 |
| Laney College | Oakland | 6,842 | — | $9,315 | $42,812 |
| California State University-Monterey Bay | Seaside | 6,819 | 97% | $13,861 | $63,891 |
| Los Angeles Harbor College | Wilmington | 6,694 | — | $2,680 | $47,368 |
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara | 6,552 | 48% | $36,116 | $117,193 |
| West Valley College | Saratoga | 6,416 | — | $1,033 | $55,251 |
Choosing a college in California
Start with net price rather than sticker tuition, then compare graduate earnings in your intended field. In-state public universities usually offer the lowest net price for state residents; private institutions can compete through generous aid packages. Use the College Finder to filter by your annual budget, or model the payoff in the Degree ROI Simulator.