College Costs in California

California Colleges, Cost and Affordability for 2027

How much does it cost to attend college in California?   The average annual in-state college tuition in California was $15,539 for the 2024-2025 academic year. This is $2,271 lower than the U.S. average and ranks California in the middle of the pack as the 29th most expensive state or district to attend college. This is a change of $1,916 from the 2022-2023 average of $13,623 and represents a 14.06% annual increase in tuition costs. The list of California colleges below provides school specific cost and value rating.

This analysis surveyed tuition data from the 278 colleges and universities in California, the most popular being University of California Los Angeles with 45,444 full time students and an in-state tuition list price of $15,203. University of Southern California is the most expensive in California with an in-state tuition of $72,097.

All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS 2025 survey and reflect reported costs for academic year 2024/2025.

278 Results
Sort:
California Public Private For-Profit 4 Year 2 Year
Monterey Peninsula College Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 2 Year
  • Monterey, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,188 tuition
  • Aug 29 application deadline

Monterey Peninsula College is a public community college known for undergraduate marine science and hospitality programs. The campus sits near Monterey Bay on California's central coast.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $14,483
Details Calculate my Chances
College of the Redwoods Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 2 Year
  • Eureka, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,198 tuition

College of the Redwoods is a public community college known for associate programs in forestry, natural resources, and nursing. The Eureka campus sits among redwood forests on California's North Coast.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $9,400
Details Calculate my Chances
Reedley College Campus

credit : source / license

  • Public 2 Year
  • Reedley, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,334 tuition

Reedley College is a community college known for undergraduate agriculture and natural resources. The campus includes a working farm in California's San Joaquin Valley.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $9,012
Details Calculate my Chances
Touro University Worldwide Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Los Alamitos, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $14,600 tuition
  • Jun 15 application deadline

Touro University Worldwide is a private online university with undergraduate programs in business, psychology, and health sciences. Most undergrads complete degrees through distance learning rather than a traditional residential campus.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $19,522
Details Calculate my Chances
Thomas Aquinas College Campus

credit : Harold Litwiler, Poppy / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Santa Paula, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $30,200 tuition

Thomas Aquinas is a private Catholic liberal arts college known for a single Great Books curriculum that all undergraduates complete together. The residential campus is set in the hills near Santa Paula in southern California.

7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1220-1400
  • Avg GPA 3.8
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $24,820
Details Calculate my Chances
Pacific Union College Campus

credit : source / license

  • Private 4 Year
  • Angwin, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $37,173 tuition

Pacific Union College is a private Seventh-day Adventist liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing and theology. The rural campus sits in the hills above Napa Valley.

6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 930-1190
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 47%
  • Net Price $22,767
Details Calculate my Chances
Simpson University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Redding, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $39,708 tuition
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Simpson is a small private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and ministry. The residential campus is in Redding in Northern California.

5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1185
  • Avg GPA 3.4
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $28,653
Details Calculate my Chances
Contra Costa College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • San Pablo, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,312 tuition

Contra Costa College is a public community college known for nursing and university-transfer programs. The campus is in San Pablo in California's East Bay.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $11,384
Details Calculate my Chances
Los Angeles Mission College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Sylmar, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,238 tuition

A public community college offering associate degrees, career certificates, and university-transfer pathways. The campus is located in Sylmar in Los Angeles's northern San Fernando Valley.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $15,357
Details Calculate my Chances
Oxnard College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Oxnard, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,426 tuition

Oxnard College is a public community college offering associate degrees and certificates with programs in agriculture, health sciences, and business. The campus is located in the coastal city of Oxnard in Ventura County.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $1,085
Details Calculate my Chances
Los Angeles College of Music Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Pasadena, CA
  • 2.0 | 2 reviews
  • $30,540 tuition
0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 88%
  • Net Price $44,586
Details Calculate my Chances
Cuesta College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • San Luis Obispo, CA
  • 3.0 | 1 reviews
  • $1,350 tuition
  • Aug 13 application deadline

Cuesta is a public community college known for associate degrees in nursing and transfer preparation. The main campus is located in San Luis Obispo on California's Central Coast.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $16,541
Details Calculate my Chances
Platt College Ontario Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Ontario, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $14,922 tuition
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $20,463
Details Calculate my Chances
Los Angeles Trade Technical College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,238 tuition
  • Sep 7 application deadline

A public community college known for undergraduate programs in culinary arts, fashion design, and the skilled trades. The urban campus sits near downtown Los Angeles.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $13,154
Details Calculate my Chances
San Diego Christian College Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Santee, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $28,012 tuition

San Diego Christian is a small private Christian college known for undergraduate biblical studies and aviation. The suburban campus sits in Santee east of San Diego.

5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 900-1098
  • Avg GPA 3.26
  • Acceptance Rate 31%
  • Net Price $21,199
Details Calculate my Chances
Merritt College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Oakland, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,258 tuition

Merritt is a public community college known for nursing and landscape horticulture. The campus sits in the Oakland hills overlooking San Francisco Bay.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $15,581
Details Calculate my Chances
The King's University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Southlake, TX
  • | 0 reviews
  • $12,480 tuition
  • Jul 29 application deadline
4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 870-1130
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 61%
  • Net Price $13,940
Details Calculate my Chances
West Coast University Ontario Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Ontario, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $36,854 tuition
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $47,368
Details Calculate my Chances