What college costs in California
We have federal cost data for 115 four-year colleges in California: 33 public and 82 private. For 2024–25, the median cost of attendance was $26,283 at public colleges (in-state) and $55,911 at private colleges. The median average net price, what students who got federal aid actually paid, was $25,181. Colleges are sorted by average net price.
California state financial aid
- State Higher Education Agency: California Student Aid Commission
Source: U.S. Department of Education state contacts. State grants usually require state residency and the FAFSA.
| College | Cost of attendance | Avg net price | Net price, income under $30k |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Christian CollegeSantee | $31,745 | $992 | $992 |
| Humphreys UniversityStockton | $20,918 | $5,524 | $6,324 |
| University of the WestRosemead | $21,278 | $6,845 | $6,845 |
| Bethesda UniversityAnaheim | $13,575 | $11,097 | $9,747 |
| California Miramar UniversitySan Diego | $19,067 | $12,480 | $9,131 |
| Fresno Pacific UniversityFresno | $44,249 | $13,630 | $11,133 |
| Stanford UniversityStanford | $87,833 | $13,807 | $-2,536 |
| Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical SeminaryLos Angeles | $31,300 | $14,959 | $14,300 |
| World Mission UniversityLos Angeles | $22,505 | $15,785 | $15,785 |
| California Institute of TechnologyPasadena | $86,886 | $16,075 | $-2,133 |
| America Evangelical UniversityGardena | $23,764 | $17,854 | $16,941 |
| Soka University of AmericaAliso Viejo | $55,064 | $18,260 | $12,020 |
| Touro University WorldwideLos Alamitos | $29,016 | $19,058 | $18,342 |
| Pomona CollegeClaremont | $85,300 | $19,285 | $4,841 |
| University of La VerneLa Verne | $62,278 | $20,161 | $20,151 |
| Life Pacific UniversitySan Dimas | $35,062 | $20,898 | $16,786 |
| Vanguard University of Southern CaliforniaCosta Mesa | $52,665 | $21,241 | $17,225 |
| Oak Valley CollegeRialto | $33,587 | $21,379 | $12,336 |
| Mount Saint Mary's UniversityLos Angeles | $66,726 | $21,413 | $23,849 |
| SUM Bible College and Theological SeminaryEl Dorado Hills | $24,956 | $21,680 | $21,249 |
| Azusa Pacific UniversityAzusa | $56,313 | $22,212 | $15,781 |
| Reach UniversityOakland | $32,536 | $22,423 | $22,997 |
| Los Angeles Pacific UniversityGlendora | $29,884 | $22,677 | $23,408 |
| National UniversitySan Diego | $33,978 | $22,878 | $21,554 |
| Providence Christian CollegePasadena | $53,447 | $25,163 | $23,481 |
| Northeastern University OaklandOakland | $85,418 | $25,181 | $8,161 |
| University of the PacificStockton | $71,515 | $25,447 | $17,004 |
| Whittier CollegeWhittier | $63,664 | $25,757 | $21,718 |
| Thomas Aquinas CollegeSanta Paula | $43,426 | $26,196 | $19,761 |
| California Baptist UniversityRiverside | $54,038 | $26,285 | $22,298 |
| University of Silicon ValleySan Jose | $35,722 | $27,815 | $24,350 |
| Simpson UniversityRedding | $54,688 | $27,817 | $25,511 |
| William Jessup UniversityRocklin | $53,703 | $28,062 | $23,123 |
| Concordia University-IrvineIrvine | $58,682 | $28,115 | $25,431 |
| Abraham Lincoln UniversityGlendale | $34,154 | $28,584 | $28,584 |
| Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont | $86,500 | $28,849 | $15,308 |
| Westmont CollegeSanta Barbara | $71,150 | $29,053 | $20,899 |
| Hope International UniversityFullerton | $51,784 | $29,310 | $27,991 |
| Lionel UniversityCarpinteria | $31,812 | $29,453 | $29,817 |
| University of RedlandsRedlands | $76,630 | $30,031 | $28,287 |
| California Lutheran UniversityThousand Oaks | $68,426 | $30,109 | $22,161 |
| University of San DiegoSan Diego | $78,720 | $30,365 | $15,586 |
| Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaMoraga | $77,659 | $30,378 | $19,462 |
| Shasta Bible College and Graduate SchoolRedding | $34,535 | $30,437 | $30,437 |
| Menlo CollegeAtherton | $72,020 | $31,100 | $25,546 |
| Biola UniversityLa Mirada | $62,757 | $31,495 | $27,144 |
| The Master's University and SeminarySanta Clarita | $54,845 | $32,647 | $24,624 |
| University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles | $90,300 | $32,740 | $13,516 |
| West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange CountyAnaheim | $34,887 | $32,879 | $29,867 |
| Woodbury UniversityBurbank | $58,010 | $33,692 | $28,815 |
| Pitzer CollegeClaremont | $86,466 | $34,191 | $14,535 |
| John Paul the Great Catholic UniversityEscondido | $52,367 | $34,666 | $27,029 |
| Dominican University of CaliforniaSan Rafael | $71,751 | $35,333 | $24,572 |
| Westcliff UniversityIrvine | $44,210 | $35,426 | $24,253 |
| Charles R Drew University of Medicine and ScienceLos Angeles | $39,834 | $35,558 | $35,636 |
| Harvey Mudd CollegeClaremont | $90,165 | $35,924 | $27,979 |
| California Aeronautical UniversityBakersfield | $46,233 | $36,126 | $35,535 |
| Scripps CollegeClaremont | $87,564 | $36,294 | $6,948 |
| Chamberlain University-CaliforniaRancho Cordova | $37,232 | $36,559 | $35,887 |
| Occidental CollegeLos Angeles | $84,800 | $38,263 | $20,705 |
| Point Loma Nazarene UniversitySan Diego | $60,488 | $38,729 | $30,999 |
| New York Film AcademyBurbank | $62,210 | $39,011 | $36,501 |
| Academy of Art UniversitySan Francisco | $48,036 | $40,613 | $37,668 |
| University of San FranciscoSan Francisco | $80,141 | $41,431 | $31,537 |
| Laguna College of Art and DesignLaguna Beach | $57,989 | $42,505 | $37,203 |
| San Francisco Conservatory of MusicSan Francisco | $78,781 | $42,607 | $55,704 |
| Los Angeles College of MusicPasadena | $49,705 | $43,590 | $42,657 |
| Southern California Institute of ArchitectureLos Angeles | $71,612 | $43,923 | $36,824 |
| Design Institute of San DiegoSan Diego | $55,911 | $44,010 | n/a |
| Arizona College of Nursing-OntarioOntario | $52,480 | $44,477 | n/a |
| La Sierra UniversityRiverside | $51,459 | $45,566 | $44,988 |
| California Institute of the ArtsValencia | $77,560 | $46,080 | $26,686 |
| Chapman UniversityOrange | $83,146 | $46,555 | $33,559 |
| Loyola Marymount UniversityLos Angeles | $83,943 | $48,381 | $32,268 |
| Art Center College of DesignPasadena | $75,649 | $48,661 | $39,645 |
| West Coast University-OntarioOntario | $53,706 | $49,590 | $45,911 |
| Santa Clara UniversitySanta Clara | $82,026 | $50,062 | $22,985 |
| Otis College of Art and DesignLos Angeles | $75,861 | $51,248 | $44,731 |
| GnomonNorth Hollywood | $54,947 | $51,949 | n/a |
| Newschool of Architecture and DesignSan Diego | $62,004 | $52,570 | $47,379 |
| California College of the ArtsSan Francisco | $79,776 | $53,909 | $61,407 |
| Pepperdine UniversityMalibu | $93,512 | $58,098 | $50,560 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, cost of attendance 2024–25. Net price covers first-time, full-time students who received federal aid; it doesn't apply to international students. Public costs are in-state. Colleges with too little reported data are left out.