Best value colleges in California
Every California college we have data for, ranked by 10-year return on investment.
664
Colleges
$21,142
Avg net price as of 2024
$50,404
Median earnings as of 2024
$13,715
Median debt as of 2024
Top colleges in California
Showing the top 150 of 664 by ROI — sort the table, or use the finder to filter all California colleges by cost, earnings and major.
| # | College | Type | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Contra Costa College San Pablo, CA | Public | $135,374 | $9,490 | — | +4,662% | Strong return | |
| 2 | Skyline College San Bruno, CA | Public | $75,221 | $1,738 | — | +4,247% | Strong return | |
| 3 | Ohlone College Fremont, CA | Public | $128,248 | $11,130 | — | +3,640% | Strong return | |
| 4 | Mission College Santa Clara, CA | Public | $77,684 | $5,080 | — | +3,117% | Strong return | |
| 5 | College of the Sequoias Visalia, CA | Public | $52,678 | $480 | $4,500 | +2,853% | Strong return | |
| 6 | Foothill College Los Altos Hills, CA | Public | $139,682 | $7,653 | $10,500 | +2,649% | Strong return | |
| 7 | Allan Hancock College Santa Maria, CA | Public | $73,851 | $5,383 | — | +2,580% | Strong return | |
| 8 | Butte College Oroville, CA | Public | $81,627 | $5,520 | $10,500 | +2,364% | Strong return | |
| 9 | Los Angeles Southwest College Los Angeles, CA | Public | $73,339 | $5,964 | — | +2,276% | Strong return | |
| 10 | College of San Mateo San Mateo, CA | Public | $59,659 | $536 | $14,695 | +2,181% | Strong return | |
| 11 | Folsom Lake College Folsom, CA | Public | $70,963 | $5,975 | — | +2,073% | Strong return | |
| 12 | Shasta College Redding, CA | Public | $79,553 | $2,878 | $14,250 | +1,968% | Strong return | |
| 13 | Palomar College San Marcos, CA | Public | $65,947 | $5,763 | — | +1,717% | Strong return | |
| 14 | Victor Valley College Victorville, CA | Public | $58,590 | $1,947 | — | +1,645% | Strong return | |
| 15 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | Private | $145,453 | $13,807 | $12,000 | +1,585% | Strong return | |
| 16 | Los Angeles City College Los Angeles, CA | Public | $79,530 | $10,261 | $12,750 | +1,272% | Strong return | |
| 17 | California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | Private | $133,219 | $16,075 | — | +1,272% | Strong return | |
| 18 | Santa Monica College Santa Monica, CA | Public | $60,342 | $2,779 | $6,450 | +1,039% | Strong return | |
| 19 | Solano Community College Fairfield, CA | Public | $71,105 | $4,669 | $12,000 | +1,033% | Strong return | |
| 20 | Pomona College Claremont, CA | Private | $131,742 | $19,285 | $11,782 | +965% | Strong return | |
| 21 | Ukiah Adult School Ukiah, CA | Public | $59,604 | $14,343 | — | +918% | Strong return | |
| 22 | Chabot College Hayward, CA | Public | $65,901 | $9,053 | $9,500 | +869% | Strong return | |
| 23 | Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | Private | $151,744 | $28,849 | $13,500 | +787% | Strong return | |
| 24 | California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Public | $63,042 | $3,967 | $13,000 | +776% | Strong return | |
| 25 | Los Angeles Harbor College Wilmington, CA | Public | $67,965 | $13,250 | — | +767% | Strong return | |
| 26 | Mt San Jacinto Community College District San Jacinto, CA | Public | $56,787 | $6,806 | — | +766% | Strong return | |
| 27 | Cosumnes River College Sacramento, CA | Public | $58,609 | $5,981 | $10,722 | +758% | Strong return | |
| 28 | Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA | Private | $172,049 | $35,924 | $25,000 | +731% | Strong return | |
| 29 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Public | $70,510 | $6,555 | $13,750 | +717% | Strong return | |
| 30 | Cal Poly Maritime Academy Vallejo, CA | Public | $115,803 | $20,555 | $24,965 | +675% | Strong return | |
| 31 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Public | $89,838 | $13,481 | $13,000 | +664% | Strong return | |
| 32 | Saddleback College Mission Viejo, CA | Public | $53,689 | $4,152 | $9,500 | +639% | Strong return | |
| 33 | Capstone College Pasadena, CA | For-profit | $59,207 | $16,012 | $9,500 | +630% | Strong return | |
| 34 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Public | $69,084 | $7,021 | $13,872 | +627% | Strong return | |
| 35 | College of the Siskiyous Weed, CA | Public | $63,869 | $11,120 | $10,750 | +621% | Strong return | |
| 36 | California State University-East Bay Hayward, CA | Public | $74,638 | $9,320 | $16,544 | +584% | Strong return | |
| 37 | California State University-Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA | Public | $64,235 | $5,652 | $16,600 | +571% | Strong return | |
| 38 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Public | $81,976 | $12,548 | $14,000 | +569% | Strong return | |
| 39 | Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa, CA | Public | $55,690 | $6,331 | $9,500 | +563% | Strong return | |
| 40 | College of Marin Kentfield, CA | Public | $63,191 | $12,351 | $10,062 | +541% | Strong return | |
| 41 | Gavilan College Gilroy, CA | Public | $53,082 | $6,542 | — | +518% | Strong return | |
| 42 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA | Public | $81,942 | $13,760 | $15,000 | +511% | Strong return | |
| 43 | California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA | Public | $65,267 | $7,000 | $14,505 | +509% | Strong return | |
| 44 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | Public | $78,315 | $12,470 | $15,500 | +500% | Strong return | |
| 45 | San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Cordova Rancho Cordova, CA | For-profit | $82,323 | $29,811 | $10,674 | +488% | Strong return | |
| 46 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | Public | $87,876 | $16,665 | $18,500 | +484% | Strong return | |
| 47 | California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA | Public | $72,474 | $10,229 | $17,350 | +482% | Strong return | |
| 48 | Evergreen Valley College San Jose, CA | Public | $61,802 | $12,414 | $13,219 | +467% | Strong return | |
| 49 | Cypress College Cypress, CA | Public | $57,119 | $4,606 | $10,000 | +449% | Strong return | |
| 50 | Sacramento City College Sacramento, CA | Public | $54,230 | $6,614 | $10,500 | +441% | Strong return | |
| 51 | California State University-Stanislaus Turlock, CA | Public | $60,484 | $6,067 | $13,540 | +430% | Strong return | |
| 52 | Xavier College School of Nursing Stockton, CA | For-profit | $63,992 | $14,918 | $16,652 | +429% | Strong return | |
| 53 | San Diego Miramar College San Diego, CA | Public | $53,218 | $3,337 | $6,750 | +420% | Strong return | |
| 54 | California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA | Public | $57,240 | $4,564 | $14,715 | +418% | Strong return | |
| 55 | Marian Health Careers Center-Van Nuys Campus Van Nuys, CA | For-profit | $62,139 | $28,791 | $12,337 | +415% | Strong return | |
| 56 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | Public | $77,073 | $14,251 | $15,000 | +413% | Strong return | |
| 57 | Pasadena City College Pasadena, CA | Public | $49,999 | $3,864 | $6,651 | +392% | Strong return | |
| 58 | Career Development Institute Inc Los Angeles, CA | For-profit | $60,677 | $25,919 | $16,873 | +389% | Strong return | |
| 59 | Northeastern University Oakland Oakland, CA | Private | $98,280 | $25,181 | $24,250 | +386% | Strong return | |
| 60 | Marian Health Careers Center-Los Angeles Campus Los Angeles, CA | For-profit | $62,139 | $31,374 | $12,337 | +378% | Strong return | |
| 61 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | Public | $74,836 | $14,741 | $13,000 | +368% | Strong return | |
| 62 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA | Public | $66,980 | $10,440 | $14,289 | +368% | Strong return | |
| 63 | California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA | Public | $64,958 | $9,338 | $15,000 | +366% | Strong return | |
| 64 | Unitek College Hayward, CA | For-profit | $55,528 | $19,130 | $10,700 | +357% | Strong return | |
| 65 | City College of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | Public | $52,556 | $6,906 | $8,218 | +350% | Strong return | |
| 66 | Medical Allied Career Center Santa Fe Springs, CA | For-profit | $63,142 | $34,458 | $17,130 | +346% | Strong return | |
| 67 | National Career Education Citrus Heights, CA | For-profit | $57,474 | $25,380 | $7,853 | +342% | Strong return | |
| 68 | University of the Pacific Stockton, CA | Private | $90,970 | $25,447 | $19,500 | +322% | Strong return | |
| 69 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | Public | $67,980 | $12,278 | $15,371 | +320% | Strong return | |
| 70 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | Public | $73,857 | $16,109 | $13,993 | +315% | Strong return | |
| 71 | Norco College Norco, CA | Public | $49,263 | $5,169 | — | +312% | Strong return | |
| 72 | Fresno Pacific University Fresno, CA | Private | $70,576 | $13,630 | $23,146 | +306% | Strong return | |
| 73 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA | Public | $65,948 | $11,531 | $16,000 | +303% | Strong return | |
| 74 | Los Medanos College Pittsburg, CA | Public | $50,777 | $7,443 | — | +288% | Strong return | |
| 75 | University of California-Merced Merced, CA | Public | $65,714 | $11,983 | $16,144 | +285% | Strong return | |
| 76 | Modesto Junior College Modesto, CA | Public | $49,333 | $2,818 | — | +284% | Strong return | |
| 77 | American River College Sacramento, CA | Public | $52,472 | $7,999 | $9,625 | +283% | Strong return | |
| 78 | Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science Los Angeles, CA | Private | $102,072 | $35,558 | $18,750 | +283% | Strong return | |
| 79 | Unitek College South San Francisco, CA | For-profit | $55,528 | $23,676 | $10,700 | +282% | Strong return | |
| 80 | Pacific College Costa Mesa, CA | For-profit | $91,685 | $29,363 | $22,469 | +272% | Strong return | |
| 81 | Menlo College Atherton, CA | Private | $93,801 | $31,100 | $21,750 | +269% | Strong return | |
| 82 | San Joaquin Valley College-Trades Education Center Fresno, CA | For-profit | $66,835 | $27,887 | $10,674 | +266% | Strong return | |
| 83 | Bay Area Medical Academy San Francisco, CA | For-profit | $55,876 | $27,042 | $9,089 | +258% | Strong return | |
| 84 | Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara, CA | Public | $54,515 | $11,315 | $11,000 | +257% | Strong return | |
| 85 | Dominican University of California San Rafael, CA | Private | $98,885 | $35,333 | $27,000 | +257% | Strong return | |
| 86 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | Private | $91,200 | $32,740 | $18,000 | +236% | Strong return | |
| 87 | West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County Anaheim, CA | For-profit | $93,210 | $32,879 | $32,946 | +236% | Strong return | |
| 88 | Brownson Technical School Anaheim, CA | For-profit | $56,357 | $30,513 | $9,500 | +234% | Strong return | |
| 89 | Grossmont College El Cajon, CA | Public | $49,565 | $5,311 | $8,625 | +232% | Strong return | |
| 90 | San Diego State University San Diego, CA | Public | $67,040 | $15,364 | $15,000 | +229% | Strong return | |
| 91 | Unitek College Fremont, CA | For-profit | $79,182 | $25,179 | $10,700 | +227% | Strong return | |
| 92 | University of La Verne La Verne, CA | Private | $74,004 | $20,161 | $23,500 | +225% | Strong return | |
| 93 | Laney College Oakland, CA | Public | $56,002 | $17,110 | — | +222% | Strong return | |
| 94 | Berkeley City College Berkeley, CA | Public | $50,844 | $9,096 | — | +221% | Strong return | |
| 95 | West Coast University-Ontario Ontario, CA | For-profit | $110,377 | $49,590 | $32,946 | +211% | Strong return | |
| 96 | Chamberlain University-California Rancho Cordova, CA | For-profit | $92,768 | $36,559 | $20,919 | +211% | Strong return | |
| 97 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA | Public | $62,652 | $12,885 | $16,705 | +206% | Strong return | |
| 98 | California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA | Public | $56,990 | $8,615 | $13,807 | +204% | Strong return | |
| 99 | College of the Desert Palm Desert, CA | Public | $54,334 | $15,728 | — | +197% | Strong return | |
| 100 | National University San Diego, CA | Private | $74,696 | $22,878 | $25,000 | +195% | Strong return | |
| 101 | Napa Valley College Napa, CA | Public | $54,673 | $14,644 | $10,147 | +193% | Strong return | |
| 102 | Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology Inglewood, CA | For-profit | $66,356 | $33,320 | $20,000 | +189% | Strong return | |
| 103 | Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles, CA | Private | $71,931 | $21,413 | $25,949 | +183% | Strong return | |
| 104 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA | Private | $102,953 | $50,062 | $19,162 | +180% | Strong return | |
| 105 | Angeles Institute Artesia, CA | For-profit | $53,177 | $23,817 | $17,238 | +172% | Strong return | |
| 106 | Southwestern College Chula Vista, CA | Public | $52,315 | $12,671 | $4,500 | +171% | Strong return | |
| 107 | University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA | Public | $61,938 | $14,304 | $17,500 | +166% | Strong return | |
| 108 | California State University-Chico Chico, CA | Public | $61,708 | $14,480 | $16,552 | +161% | Strong return | |
| 109 | Concorde Career College-San Diego San Diego, CA | For-profit | $59,165 | $25,394 | $9,500 | +161% | Strong return | |
| 110 | University of San Diego San Diego, CA | Private | $77,610 | $30,365 | $22,940 | +151% | Strong return | |
| 111 | College of the Canyons Santa Clarita, CA | Public | $49,535 | $3,702 | $9,612 | +148% | Strong return | |
| 112 | California State University-Channel Islands Camarillo, CA | Public | $56,106 | $9,849 | $15,000 | +148% | Strong return | |
| 113 | MiraCosta College Oceanside, CA | Public | $53,078 | $7,339 | $9,000 | +148% | Strong return | |
| 114 | Concorde Career College-Garden Grove Garden Grove, CA | For-profit | $58,374 | $24,698 | $13,000 | +147% | Strong return | |
| 115 | San Diego Mesa College San Diego, CA | Public | $51,171 | $5,814 | $4,725 | +147% | Strong return | |
| 116 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | Public | $63,496 | $17,890 | $16,666 | +138% | Strong return | |
| 117 | University of Massachusetts Global Aliso Viejo, CA | Public | $77,949 | $32,654 | $24,276 | +136% | Strong return | |
| 118 | West Valley College Saratoga, CA | Public | $46,590 | $3,423 | — | +132% | Strong return | |
| 119 | Gnomon North Hollywood, CA | For-profit | $94,066 | $51,949 | $28,332 | +125% | Strong return | |
| 120 | California Nurses Educational Institute Rancho Mirage, CA | For-profit | $56,773 | $23,231 | $16,941 | +124% | Strong return | |
| 121 | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Fremont Fremont, CA | For-profit | $60,502 | $29,428 | $31,786 | +120% | Strong return | |
| 122 | California State University-Monterey Bay Seaside, CA | Public | $57,518 | $13,663 | $12,750 | +111% | Strong return | |
| 123 | Mt San Antonio College Walnut, CA | Public | $48,114 | $6,490 | $5,880 | +106% | Strong return | |
| 124 | Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA | Private | $64,981 | $22,212 | $23,219 | +105% | Strong return | |
| 125 | University of Redlands Redlands, CA | Private | $70,817 | $30,031 | $26,000 | +99% | Strong return | |
| 126 | Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology Riverside, CA | For-profit | $59,421 | $32,601 | $20,000 | +99% | Strong return | |
| 127 | Saint Mary's College of California Moraga, CA | Private | $70,004 | $30,378 | $23,691 | +92% | Strong return | |
| 128 | Woodbury University Burbank, CA | Private | $72,762 | $33,692 | $26,960 | +92% | Strong return | |
| 129 | Concordia University-Irvine Irvine, CA | Private | $67,858 | $28,115 | $24,247 | +88% | Strong return | |
| 130 | University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | Private | $77,215 | $41,431 | $23,000 | +85% | Strong return | |
| 131 | California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, CA | Private | $68,444 | $30,109 | $21,669 | +83% | Strong return | |
| 132 | Cuesta College San Luis Obispo, CA | Public | $50,308 | $12,124 | $13,750 | +81% | Strong return | |
| 133 | Concorde Career College-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA | For-profit | $55,054 | $26,029 | $9,500 | +81% | Strong return | |
| 134 | Southern California Institute of Architecture Los Angeles, CA | Private | $76,769 | $43,923 | — | +81% | Strong return | |
| 135 | Integrity College of Health Pasadena, CA | For-profit | $56,415 | $14,819 | $13,194 | +78% | Strong return | |
| 136 | California Baptist University Riverside, CA | Private | $64,977 | $26,285 | $26,063 | +74% | Strong return | |
| 137 | Santa Ana College Santa Ana, CA | Public | $47,602 | $3,133 | $6,871 | +73% | Strong return | |
| 138 | Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles, CA | Public | $49,809 | $12,323 | $10,500 | +69% | Strong return | |
| 139 | Universal Technical Institute of California Inc Rancho Cucamonga, CA | For-profit | $54,588 | $26,360 | $13,124 | +67% | Strong return | |
| 140 | Santiago Canyon College Orange, CA | Public | $46,004 | $2,129 | $5,125 | +64% | Break-even | |
| 141 | Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa, CA | Private | $59,961 | $21,241 | $22,000 | +61% | Break-even | |
| 142 | Universal Technical Institute-Southern California Long Beach, CA | For-profit | $54,588 | $27,506 | $13,124 | +60% | Break-even | |
| 143 | DeVry University-California Ontario, CA | For-profit | $67,509 | $33,744 | $24,807 | +56% | Break-even | |
| 144 | Coastline Community College Fountain Valley, CA | Public | $50,474 | $16,341 | $8,250 | +53% | Break-even | |
| 145 | Bakersfield College Bakersfield, CA | Public | $54,197 | $14,621 | $8,312 | +50% | Break-even | |
| 146 | Southern California Institute of Technology Anaheim, CA | For-profit | $65,459 | $33,392 | $10,798 | +49% | Break-even | |
| 147 | Pacific Union College Angwin, CA | Private | $70,762 | $41,008 | $27,500 | +48% | Break-even | |
| 148 | Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, CA | Private | $67,791 | $38,729 | $22,990 | +40% | Break-even | |
| 149 | Occidental College Los Angeles, CA | Private | $67,384 | $38,263 | $23,000 | +39% | Break-even | |
| 150 | Orange Coast College Costa Mesa, CA | Public | $47,423 | $7,203 | $9,500 | +36% | Break-even |
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Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.