Colleges in California: Costs, Admission Rates & Salaries
544 institutions tracked in California. Average net price across the state is $19,084/year, the average admission rate is 69%, and the strongest graduate earnings reach $143,238. 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 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| University of California-Riverside | Riverside | 22,593 | 76% | $14,304 | $67,699 |
| Santa Ana College | Santa Ana | 22,485 | N/A | $3,133 | $43,552 |
| Long Beach City College | Long Beach | 22,427 | N/A | $6,202 | $38,870 |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | 21,996 | 31% | $16,665 | $90,768 |
| California State University-Fresno | Fresno | 21,605 | 95% | $7,000 | $61,244 |
| Pasadena City College | Pasadena | 21,466 | N/A | $3,864 | $43,937 |
| Santa Monica College | Santa Monica | 21,440 | N/A | $2,779 | $42,193 |
| Fresno City College | Fresno | 21,251 | N/A | $8,069 | $37,361 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles | 20,443 | 10% | $32,740 | $92,498 |
| California State University-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | 19,562 | 91% | $3,967 | $59,211 |
| El Camino Community College District | Torrance | 19,210 | N/A | $5,968 | $41,589 |
| Cerritos College | Norwalk | 18,870 | N/A | $2,424 | $41,156 |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco | 18,639 | 96% | $12,278 | $68,077 |
| Southwestern College | Chula Vista | 18,614 | N/A | $12,671 | $40,060 |
| Riverside City College | Riverside | 18,346 | N/A | $8,377 | $41,091 |
| Chaffey College | Rancho Cucamonga | 18,132 | N/A | $5,672 | $42,975 |
| University of California-Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | 17,940 | 66% | $17,890 | $68,396 |
| Palomar College | San Marcos | 17,712 | N/A | $5,763 | $42,300 |
| Saddleback College | Mission Viejo | 17,684 | N/A | $4,152 | $50,874 |
| Sacramento City College | Sacramento | 17,657 | N/A | $6,614 | $42,214 |
| City College of San Francisco | San Francisco | 17,348 | N/A | $6,906 | $45,805 |
| Bakersfield College | Bakersfield | 17,280 | N/A | $14,621 | $37,291 |
| Fullerton College | Fullerton | 17,121 | N/A | $6,134 | $43,366 |
| San Diego Mesa College | San Diego | 16,098 | N/A | $5,814 | $45,120 |
| Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa | 16,091 | N/A | $7,203 | $47,348 |
| College of the Canyons | Santa Clarita | 15,832 | N/A | $3,702 | $49,022 |
| San Joaquin Delta College | Stockton | 15,781 | N/A | $2,407 | $43,212 |
| Rio Hondo College | Whittier | 15,684 | N/A | $14,379 | $44,950 |
| Diablo Valley College | Pleasant Hill | 15,358 | N/A | $8,312 | $51,378 |
| De Anza College | Cupertino | 15,264 | N/A | $6,642 | $56,596 |
| Mt San Jacinto Community College District | San Jacinto | 15,259 | N/A | $6,806 | $38,319 |
| Modesto Junior College | Modesto | 15,109 | N/A | $2,818 | $42,368 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa | 15,080 | N/A | $6,331 | $47,224 |
| California State University-San Bernardino | San Bernardino | 15,023 | 94% | $4,564 | $59,977 |
| California State University-San Marcos | San Marcos | 14,877 | 95% | $10,229 | $62,908 |
| Sierra College | Rocklin | 14,122 | N/A | $7,245 | $45,294 |
| Cosumnes River College | Sacramento | 14,023 | N/A | $5,981 | $42,446 |
| California State University-Chico | Chico | 13,631 | 93% | $14,480 | $64,172 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College | Woodland Hills | 13,436 | N/A | $13,270 | $44,521 |
| Cypress College | Cypress | 13,354 | N/A | $4,606 | $43,533 |
| Los Angeles Valley College | Valley Glen | 12,601 | N/A | $12,152 | $42,678 |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills | Carson | 12,538 | 93% | $8,615 | $57,162 |
| San Bernardino Valley College | San Bernardino | 12,234 | N/A | $18,943 | $39,676 |
| Grossmont College | El Cajon | 12,163 | N/A | $5,311 | $40,309 |
| Moorpark College | Moorpark | 12,082 | N/A | N/A | $49,044 |
| College of the Sequoias | Visalia | 11,562 | N/A | $480 | $39,092 |
| Antelope Valley Community College District | Lancaster | 11,534 | N/A | $3,860 | $36,526 |
| Chabot College | Hayward | 11,392 | N/A | $9,053 | $48,143 |
| San Diego Miramar College | San Diego | 11,271 | N/A | $3,337 | $48,224 |
| Los Angeles City College | Los Angeles | 11,198 | N/A | $10,261 | $36,190 |
| Foothill College | Los Altos Hills | 11,137 | N/A | $7,653 | $57,072 |
| National University | San Diego | 10,794 | N/A | $22,878 | $67,548 |
| Santiago Canyon College | Orange | 10,579 | N/A | $2,129 | $44,956 |
| Glendale Community College | Glendale | 10,509 | N/A | $8,365 | $41,540 |
| San Diego City College | San Diego | 10,441 | N/A | $7,935 | $38,503 |
| Irvine Valley College | Irvine | 10,286 | N/A | $2,090 | $49,156 |
| MiraCosta College | Oceanside | 10,278 | N/A | $7,339 | $43,845 |
| College of the Desert | Palm Desert | 10,207 | N/A | $15,728 | $39,020 |
| Ventura College | Ventura | 10,150 | N/A | N/A | $43,430 |
| Merced College | Merced | 10,001 | N/A | $5,040 | $37,815 |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College | Los Angeles | 9,998 | N/A | $12,323 | $35,233 |
| Santa Barbara City College | Santa Barbara | 9,889 | N/A | $11,315 | $47,647 |
| California State University-East Bay | Hayward | 9,809 | 97% | $9,320 | $71,401 |
| Hartnell College | Salinas | 9,453 | N/A | $2,039 | $44,316 |
| Folsom Lake College | Folsom | 9,414 | N/A | $5,975 | $42,568 |
| Moreno Valley College | Moreno Valley | 9,346 | N/A | $6,483 | $52,133 |
| Golden West College | Huntington Beach | 9,034 | N/A | $4,824 | $43,145 |
| Butte College | Oroville | 8,890 | N/A | $5,520 | $41,810 |
| Norco College | Norco | 8,779 | N/A | $5,169 | $51,206 |
| California State University-Bakersfield | Bakersfield | 8,577 | 94% | $5,652 | $59,009 |
| California State University-Stanislaus | Turlock | 8,385 | 98% | $6,067 | $63,188 |
| University of California-Merced | Merced | 8,372 | 91% | $11,983 | $64,368 |
| Citrus College | Glendora | 8,286 | N/A | $4,135 | $42,065 |
| California Baptist University | Riverside | 8,179 | 85% | $26,285 | $61,504 |
| Solano Community College | Fairfield | 8,061 | N/A | $4,669 | $44,170 |
| Allan Hancock College | Santa Maria | 8,052 | N/A | $5,383 | $42,786 |
| Cabrillo College | Aptos | 8,002 | N/A | $15,843 | $44,114 |
| Los Angeles Mission College | Sylmar | 7,999 | N/A | $13,380 | $39,834 |
| College of San Mateo | San Mateo | 7,977 | N/A | $536 | $54,172 |
| Clovis Community College | Fresno | 7,956 | N/A | $4,590 | N/A |
| Evergreen Valley College | San Jose | 7,688 | N/A | $12,414 | $53,077 |
| Imperial Valley College | Imperial | 7,652 | N/A | $1,115 | $34,487 |
| Skyline College | San Bruno | 7,620 | N/A | $1,738 | $55,702 |
| Stanford University | Stanford | 7,554 | 4% | $13,807 | $124,080 |
| Chapman University | Orange | 7,478 | 65% | $46,555 | $70,070 |
| Coastline Community College | Fountain Valley | 7,393 | N/A | $16,341 | $44,483 |
| Los Medanos College | Pittsburg | 7,320 | N/A | $7,443 | $42,454 |
| Las Positas College | Livermore | 7,299 | N/A | $5,377 | $51,088 |
| West Los Angeles College | Culver City | 7,284 | N/A | $9,634 | $38,537 |
| Cuesta College | San Luis Obispo | 7,180 | N/A | $12,124 | $46,047 |
| Cuyamaca College | El Cajon | 7,177 | N/A | $6,618 | $32,435 |
| San Jose City College | San Jose | 7,105 | N/A | $16,959 | $46,215 |
| Ohlone College | Fremont | 7,099 | N/A | $11,130 | $54,278 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles | 7,094 | 45% | $48,381 | $78,349 |
| Laney College | Oakland | 6,842 | N/A | $17,110 | $37,282 |
| California State University-Monterey Bay | Seaside | 6,819 | 97% | $13,663 | $59,247 |
| Los Angeles Harbor College | Wilmington | 6,694 | N/A | $13,250 | $41,133 |
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara | 6,552 | 48% | $50,062 | $109,183 |
| West Valley College | Saratoga | 6,416 | N/A | $3,423 | $51,688 |
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.