Highest 20-Year ROI Colleges in California
The biggest 20-year net financial gain over a high-school-only earner — tuition and debt already subtracted. Our tax-verified answer to the 20-year ROI question, from IRS-linked federal earnings rather than self-reported surveys.
Showing California
Clear state| # | College | Type | 20-yr net gain | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA | Private | $2,388,174 | $172,049 | $35,924 | $25,000 | +731% | Strong return | |
| 2 | Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | Private | $2,014,564 | $151,744 | $28,849 | $13,500 | +787% | Strong return | |
| 3 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | Private | $1,949,459 | $145,453 | $13,807 | $12,000 | +1,585% | Strong return | |
| 4 | Foothill College Los Altos Hills, CA | Public | $1,859,202 | $139,682 | $7,653 | $10,500 | +2,649% | Strong return | |
| 5 | Contra Costa College San Pablo, CA | Public | $1,788,500 | $135,374 | $9,490 | — | +4,662% | Strong return | |
| 6 | California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | Private | $1,700,080 | $133,219 | $16,075 | — | +1,272% | Strong return | |
| 7 | Pomona College Claremont, CA | Private | $1,653,407 | $131,742 | $19,285 | $11,782 | +965% | Strong return | |
| 8 | Ohlone College Fremont, CA | Public | $1,642,700 | $128,248 | $11,130 | — | +3,640% | Strong return | |
| 9 | Cal Poly Maritime Academy Vallejo, CA | Public | $1,324,743 | $115,803 | $20,555 | $24,965 | +675% | Strong return | |
| 10 | West Coast University-Ontario Ontario, CA | For-profit | $1,097,174 | $110,377 | $49,590 | $32,946 | +211% | Strong return | |
| 11 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA | Private | $951,829 | $102,953 | $50,062 | $19,162 | +180% | Strong return | |
| 12 | Dominican University of California San Rafael, CA | Private | $926,529 | $98,885 | $35,333 | $27,000 | +257% | Strong return | |
| 13 | Menlo College Atherton, CA | Private | $843,694 | $93,801 | $31,100 | $21,750 | +269% | Strong return | |
| 14 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Public | $838,099 | $89,838 | $13,481 | $13,000 | +664% | Strong return | |
| 15 | West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County Anaheim, CA | For-profit | $820,678 | $93,210 | $32,879 | $32,946 | +236% | Strong return | |
| 16 | University of the Pacific Stockton, CA | Private | $810,506 | $90,970 | $25,447 | $19,500 | +322% | Strong return | |
| 17 | Chamberlain University-California Rancho Cordova, CA | For-profit | $801,501 | $92,768 | $36,559 | $20,919 | +211% | Strong return | |
| 18 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | Private | $786,481 | $91,200 | $32,740 | $18,000 | +236% | Strong return | |
| 19 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | Public | $784,118 | $87,876 | $16,665 | $18,500 | +484% | Strong return | |
| 20 | Butte College Oroville, CA | Public | $717,674 | $81,627 | $5,520 | $10,500 | +2,364% | Strong return | |
| 21 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Public | $684,226 | $81,976 | $12,548 | $14,000 | +569% | Strong return | |
| 22 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA | Public | $678,334 | $81,942 | $13,760 | $15,000 | +511% | Strong return | |
| 23 | Shasta College Redding, CA | Public | $674,355 | $79,553 | $2,878 | $14,250 | +1,968% | Strong return | |
| 24 | Los Angeles City College Los Angeles, CA | Public | $665,432 | $79,530 | $10,261 | $12,750 | +1,272% | Strong return | |
| 25 | Mission College Santa Clara, CA | Public | $643,520 | $77,684 | $5,080 | — | +3,117% | Strong return | |
| 26 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | Public | $610,772 | $78,315 | $12,470 | $15,500 | +500% | Strong return | |
| 27 | Skyline College San Bruno, CA | Public | $597,468 | $75,221 | $1,738 | — | +4,247% | Strong return | |
| 28 | Unitek College Fremont, CA | For-profit | $579,025 | $79,182 | $25,179 | $10,700 | +227% | Strong return | |
| 29 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | Public | $578,990 | $77,073 | $14,251 | $15,000 | +413% | Strong return | |
| 30 | Allan Hancock College Santa Maria, CA | Public | $566,254 | $73,851 | $5,383 | — | +2,580% | Strong return | |
| 31 | Los Angeles Southwest College Los Angeles, CA | Public | $554,852 | $73,339 | $5,964 | — | +2,276% | Strong return | |
| 32 | California State University-East Bay Hayward, CA | Public | $549,451 | $74,638 | $9,320 | $16,544 | +584% | Strong return | |
| 33 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | Public | $533,019 | $74,836 | $14,741 | $13,000 | +368% | Strong return | |
| 34 | University of San Diego San Diego, CA | Private | $522,380 | $77,610 | $30,365 | $22,940 | +151% | Strong return | |
| 35 | University of Massachusetts Global Aliso Viejo, CA | Public | $519,518 | $77,949 | $32,654 | $24,276 | +136% | Strong return | |
| 36 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | Public | $507,605 | $73,857 | $16,109 | $13,993 | +315% | Strong return | |
| 37 | Folsom Lake College Folsom, CA | Public | $507,310 | $70,963 | $5,975 | — | +2,073% | Strong return | |
| 38 | California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA | Public | $502,242 | $72,474 | $10,229 | $17,350 | +482% | Strong return | |
| 39 | Solano Community College Fairfield, CA | Public | $499,051 | $71,105 | $4,669 | $12,000 | +1,033% | Strong return | |
| 40 | National University San Diego, CA | Private | $493,298 | $74,696 | $22,878 | $25,000 | +195% | Strong return | |
| 41 | University of La Verne La Verne, CA | Private | $490,872 | $74,004 | $20,161 | $23,500 | +225% | Strong return | |
| 42 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | Public | $478,969 | $70,510 | $6,555 | $13,750 | +717% | Strong return | |
| 43 | University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | Private | $470,195 | $77,215 | $41,431 | $23,000 | +85% | Strong return | |
| 44 | Fresno Pacific University Fresno, CA | Private | $448,565 | $70,576 | $13,630 | $23,146 | +306% | Strong return | |
| 45 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Public | $448,541 | $69,084 | $7,021 | $13,872 | +627% | Strong return | |
| 46 | Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles, CA | Private | $443,512 | $71,931 | $21,413 | $25,949 | +183% | Strong return | |
| 47 | Los Angeles Harbor College Wilmington, CA | Public | $432,800 | $67,965 | $13,250 | — | +767% | Strong return | |
| 48 | Woodbury University Burbank, CA | Private | $410,648 | $72,762 | $33,692 | $26,960 | +92% | Strong return | |
| 49 | Palomar College San Marcos, CA | Public | $407,414 | $65,947 | $5,763 | — | +1,717% | Strong return | |
| 50 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | Public | $404,887 | $67,980 | $12,278 | $15,371 | +320% | Strong return | |
| 51 | Chabot College Hayward, CA | Public | $396,452 | $65,901 | $9,053 | $9,500 | +869% | Strong return | |
| 52 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA | Public | $392,633 | $66,980 | $10,440 | $14,289 | +368% | Strong return | |
| 53 | Pepperdine University Malibu, CA | Private | $387,701 | $76,433 | $58,098 | $23,510 | +30% | Break-even | |
| 54 | University of Redlands Redlands, CA | Private | $386,741 | $70,817 | $30,031 | $26,000 | +99% | Strong return | |
| 55 | San Diego State University San Diego, CA | Public | $373,878 | $67,040 | $15,364 | $15,000 | +229% | Strong return | |
| 56 | California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA | Public | $372,054 | $65,267 | $7,000 | $14,505 | +509% | Strong return | |
| 57 | Saint Mary's College of California Moraga, CA | Private | $369,935 | $70,004 | $30,378 | $23,691 | +92% | Strong return | |
| 58 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA | Public | $367,005 | $65,948 | $11,531 | $16,000 | +303% | Strong return | |
| 59 | University of California-Merced Merced, CA | Public | $360,465 | $65,714 | $11,983 | $16,144 | +285% | Strong return | |
| 60 | California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA | Public | $356,342 | $64,958 | $9,338 | $15,000 | +366% | Strong return | |
| 61 | California State University-Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA | Public | $356,043 | $64,235 | $5,652 | $16,600 | +571% | Strong return | |
| 62 | College of the Siskiyous Weed, CA | Public | $351,223 | $63,869 | $11,120 | $10,750 | +621% | Strong return | |
| 63 | Pacific Union College Angwin, CA | Private | $341,187 | $70,762 | $41,008 | $27,500 | +48% | Break-even | |
| 64 | California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, CA | Private | $340,548 | $68,444 | $30,109 | $21,669 | +83% | Strong return | |
| 65 | California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Public | $340,235 | $63,042 | $3,967 | $13,000 | +776% | Strong return | |
| 66 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA | Private | $338,630 | $71,963 | $48,381 | $19,500 | +34% | Break-even | |
| 67 | Concordia University-Irvine Irvine, CA | Private | $335,864 | $67,858 | $28,115 | $24,247 | +88% | Strong return | |
| 68 | College of Marin Kentfield, CA | Public | $335,451 | $63,191 | $12,351 | $10,062 | +541% | Strong return | |
| 69 | Evergreen Valley College San Jose, CA | Public | $306,395 | $61,802 | $12,414 | $13,219 | +467% | Strong return | |
| 70 | DeVry University-California Ontario, CA | For-profit | $306,164 | $67,509 | $33,744 | $24,807 | +56% | Break-even | |
| 71 | Chapman University Orange, CA | Private | $305,370 | $69,953 | $46,555 | $20,500 | +29% | Break-even | |
| 72 | Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA | Private | $302,311 | $64,981 | $22,212 | $23,219 | +105% | Strong return | |
| 73 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA | Public | $295,413 | $62,652 | $12,885 | $16,705 | +206% | Strong return | |
| 74 | Santa Monica College Santa Monica, CA | Public | $293,374 | $60,342 | $2,779 | $6,450 | +1,039% | Strong return | |
| 75 | Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, CA | Private | $292,526 | $67,791 | $38,729 | $22,990 | +40% | Break-even | |
| 76 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | Public | $292,287 | $63,496 | $17,890 | $16,666 | +138% | Strong return | |
| 77 | College of San Mateo San Mateo, CA | Public | $286,753 | $59,659 | $536 | $14,695 | +2,181% | Strong return | |
| 78 | Occidental College Los Angeles, CA | Private | $286,247 | $67,384 | $38,263 | $23,000 | +39% | Break-even | |
| 79 | California Baptist University Riverside, CA | Private | $284,902 | $64,977 | $26,285 | $26,063 | +74% | Strong return | |
| 80 | California State University-Stanislaus Turlock, CA | Public | $280,478 | $60,484 | $6,067 | $13,540 | +430% | Strong return | |
| 81 | University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA | Public | $275,167 | $61,938 | $14,304 | $17,500 | +166% | Strong return | |
| 82 | Southern California Institute of Technology Anaheim, CA | For-profit | $271,677 | $65,459 | $33,392 | $10,798 | +49% | Break-even | |
| 83 | California State University-Chico Chico, CA | Public | $270,208 | $61,708 | $14,480 | $16,552 | +161% | Strong return | |
| 84 | Victor Valley College Victorville, CA | Public | $264,012 | $58,590 | $1,947 | — | +1,645% | Strong return | |
| 85 | Cosumnes River College Sacramento, CA | Public | $256,311 | $58,609 | $5,981 | $10,722 | +758% | Strong return | |
| 86 | Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts San Jose, CA | For-profit | $232,342 | $63,418 | $32,427 | $17,317 | +35% | Break-even | |
| 87 | Mt San Jacinto Community College District San Jacinto, CA | Public | $222,128 | $56,787 | $6,806 | — | +766% | Strong return | |
| 88 | National Career Education Citrus Heights, CA | For-profit | $221,238 | $57,474 | $25,380 | $7,853 | +342% | Strong return | |
| 89 | California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA | Public | $221,182 | $57,240 | $4,564 | $14,715 | +418% | Strong return | |
| 90 | Cypress College Cypress, CA | Public | $220,312 | $57,119 | $4,606 | $10,000 | +449% | Strong return | |
| 91 | Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa, CA | Private | $206,239 | $59,961 | $21,241 | $22,000 | +61% | Break-even | |
| 92 | California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA | Public | $200,309 | $56,990 | $8,615 | $13,807 | +204% | Strong return | |
| 93 | Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa, CA | Public | $197,676 | $55,690 | $6,331 | $9,500 | +563% | Strong return | |
| 94 | California State University-Monterey Bay Seaside, CA | Public | $191,062 | $57,518 | $13,663 | $12,750 | +111% | Strong return | |
| 95 | Laney College Oakland, CA | Public | $185,820 | $56,002 | $17,110 | — | +222% | Strong return | |
| 96 | California State University-Channel Islands Camarillo, CA | Public | $177,258 | $56,106 | $9,849 | $15,000 | +148% | Strong return | |
| 97 | Stanbridge University Irvine, CA | For-profit | $173,204 | $63,099 | $45,372 | $20,000 | -4% | Poor return | |
| 98 | Sacramento City College Sacramento, CA | Public | $167,546 | $54,230 | $6,614 | $10,500 | +441% | Strong return | |
| 99 | Casa Loma College-Los Angeles Sherman Oaks, CA | Private | $166,953 | $59,355 | $27,596 | $26,791 | +20% | Break-even | |
| 100 | Otis College of Art and Design Los Angeles, CA | Private | $164,549 | $63,969 | $51,248 | $27,000 | -12% | Poor return |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
Top-Rated Colleges (DR Rating)Best ROI Colleges in the U.S.Best Value CollegesBest Colleges for Economic MobilityHighest-Earning CollegesLowest-Debt CollegesLowest Net-Price CollegesBest-Rated Majors (DR Rating)Highest-Paying MajorsBest ROI MajorsLowest-Debt MajorsFastest-Growing Majors by Job OutlookMajors With the Most Job Openings