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.

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California Public Private For-Profit 4 Year 2 Year
Foothill College Campus

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  • Public 2 Year
  • Los Altos Hills, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,565 tuition

Foothill is a public community college known for undergraduate dental hygiene and science transfer pathways. The hillside campus sits in Los Altos Hills overlooking Silicon Valley.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $10,805
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Diablo Valley College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Pleasant Hill, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,312 tuition

Diablo Valley College is a community college known for transfer pathways to UC Berkeley and other University of California campuses. The suburban campus sits in Pleasant Hill in the San Francisco East Bay.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $11,001
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San Joaquin Delta College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Stockton, CA
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • $1,180 tuition

A public community college known for undergraduate nursing and agriculture programs. Most students commute to the campus in Stockton.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $3,293
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College of San Mateo Campus

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  • Public 2 Year
  • San Mateo, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,332 tuition

College of San Mateo is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing and astronomy. The hilltop campus overlooks San Francisco Bay on the Peninsula.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $5,831
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Cosumnes River College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Sacramento, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,288 tuition

Cosumnes River College is a community college known for undergraduate programs in horticulture and veterinary technology. The suburban Sacramento campus serves mostly commuting students.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $8,043
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Mt San Jacinto Community College District Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • San Jacinto, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,448 tuition

Mt. San Jacinto is a public community college known for associate degrees, career technical programs, and university transfer. Campuses serve students across southwestern Riverside County, including San Jacinto and Menifee.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $8,449
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Canada College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Redwood City, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,332 tuition
  • Aug 31 application deadline

Canada College is a public community college known for transfer pathways and career programs in nursing, radiologic technology, and design. The hillside campus sits above Redwood City on the San Francisco Peninsula.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $4,276
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Cabrillo College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Aptos, CA
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews
  • $1,270 tuition
  • Apr 9 application deadline

Cabrillo is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing and dental hygiene. The hillside campus in Aptos overlooks Monterey Bay.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $20,716
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West Los Angeles College Campus

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  • Public 2 Year
  • Culver City, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,238 tuition
  • Jun 1 application deadline

West Los Angeles College is a public community college known for undergraduate programs in aviation technology and dental hygiene. The urban Culver City campus sits near major entertainment studios and Los Angeles International Airport.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $11,164
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College of the Desert Campus

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  • Public 2 Year
  • Palm Desert, CA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • $1,326 tuition

College of the Desert is a community college known for nursing, culinary arts, and hospitality programs. The Palm Desert campus serves students across California's Coachella Valley.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $18,169
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College of Alameda Campus
 

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

College of Alameda is a public community college known for aviation maintenance technology and career technical programs. The campus is located on Alameda Island in the San Francisco Bay Area.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $12,506
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Dominican University of California Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • San Rafael, CA
  • 2.5 | 2 reviews
  • $52,161 tuition

A private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The San Rafael campus sits in Marin County north of San Francisco.

#20 Best Private Colleges in California 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1210-1300
  • Avg GPA 3.66
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $37,456
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Laguna College of Art and Design Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Laguna Beach, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $37,500 tuition
  • Aug 15 application deadline

LCAD is a private art and design college known for undergraduate animation, illustration, and fine arts. The compact campus is set in the coastal arts community of Laguna Beach.

0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.69
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $47,702
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Los Angeles Southwest College Campus

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  • Public 2 Year
  • Los Angeles, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,238 tuition
  • Sep 12 application deadline

Los Angeles Southwest College is a public community college offering associate degrees and university-transfer programs. The urban campus is located in South Los Angeles.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $6,361
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Santa Ana College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Santa Ana, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,180 tuition
  • Apr 1 application deadline

Santa Ana College is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing, business, and university transfer programs. The urban campus sits in central Santa Ana in Orange County.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $5,894
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Chabot College Campus

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  • Public 2 Year
  • Hayward, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $1,150 tuition
  • Jul 30 application deadline

Chabot is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing, dental hygiene, and automotive technology. The campus sits in Hayward in California's East Bay.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $11,043
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Laney College Campus

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  • Public 2 Year
  • Oakland, CA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • $1,258 tuition

Laney is a public community college known for undergraduate culinary arts and career technical programs. The urban campus sits near Lake Merritt in downtown Oakland.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $17,741
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John Paul the Great Catholic University Campus

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  • Private 4 Year
  • Escondido, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • $30,265 tuition

John Paul the Great is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate film, media, and communications. The campus is in Escondido in northern San Diego County.

  • SAT Range 975-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.56
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $35,175
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