Lowest-priced colleges in California
Ranked by published in-state tuition and fees, lowest first, within each type. Only schools that report a figure are ranked. Academic year 2023-24; IPEDS status: file published by NCES on 2024-08-20; provisional/final status not independently confirmed. Prices are the published charges for full-time undergraduates before any financial aid.
Public 4-year colleges
Public 4-year colleges (54 schools with a reported price; showing the lowest 15)| # | School | City | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees |
|---|
| 1 | Taft College | Taft | $1,108 | $9,076 |
| 2 | Antelope Valley Community College District | Lancaster | $1,124 | $8,228 |
| 3 | Cypress College | Cypress | $1,150 | $9,399 |
| 4 | San Diego Mesa College | San Diego | $1,150 | $9,094 |
| 5 | MiraCosta College | Oceanside | $1,152 | $9,120 |
| 6 | Santa Monica College | Santa Monica | $1,156 | $9,316 |
| 7 | Solano Community College | Fairfield | $1,172 | $8,900 |
| 8 | Santa Ana College | Santa Ana | $1,180 | $9,460 |
| 9 | Crafton Hills College | Yucaipa | $1,188 | $12,320 |
| 10 | Shasta College | Redding | $1,197 | $8,277 |
| 11 | Los Angeles Mission College | Sylmar | $1,238 | $10,130 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Valley College | Valley Glen | $1,238 | $10,130 |
| 13 | West Los Angeles College | Culver City | $1,238 | $10,130 |
| 14 | Modesto Junior College | Modesto | $1,270 | $8,870 |
| 15 | Skyline College | San Bruno | $1,332 | $11,384 |
Public 2-year colleges
Public 2-year colleges (94 schools with a reported price; showing the lowest 15)| # | School | City | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees |
|---|
| 1 | Barstow Community College | Barstow | $1,104 | $9,936 |
| 2 | Copper Mountain Community College | Joshua Tree | $1,114 | $11,050 |
| 3 | Woodland Community College | Woodland | $1,124 | $8,184 |
| 4 | Imperial Valley College | Imperial | $1,126 | $7,990 |
| 5 | Yuba College | Marysville | $1,128 | $8,208 |
| 6 | Lake Tahoe Community College | South Lake Tahoe | $1,131 | $11,067 |
| 7 | Compton College | Compton | $1,142 | $8,822 |
| 8 | El Camino Community College District | Torrance | $1,144 | $7,144 |
| 9 | Lassen Community College | Susanville | $1,144 | $8,224 |
| 10 | College of the Redwoods | Eureka | $1,147 | $7,783 |
| 11 | Berkeley City College | Berkeley | $1,148 | $8,684 |
| 12 | College of Alameda | Alameda | $1,148 | $8,684 |
| 13 | Laney College | Oakland | $1,148 | $8,684 |
| 14 | Chabot College | Hayward | $1,150 | $8,686 |
| 15 | Fullerton College | Fullerton | $1,150 | $9,399 |
Private nonprofit 4-year colleges
Private nonprofit 4-year colleges (83 schools with a reported price; showing the lowest 15)| # | School | City | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees |
|---|
| 1 | Berkeley School of Theology | Berkeley | $2,896 | $2,896 |
| 2 | Grace Mission University | Fullerton | $3,480 | $3,480 |
| 3 | America Evangelical University | Gardena | $6,200 | $6,200 |
| 4 | World Mission University | Los Angeles | $6,920 | $6,920 |
| 5 | Haven University | Garden Grove | $7,010 | $7,010 |
| 6 | Bethesda University | Anaheim | $7,220 | $7,220 |
| 7 | Agape College of Business and Science | Fresno | $8,132 | $8,132 |
| 8 | Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America | Santa Fe Springs | $8,839 | $8,839 |
| 9 | Pacific States University | Los Angeles | $9,810 | $9,810 |
| 10 | SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary | El Dorado Hills | $10,460 | $10,460 |
| 11 | Southern California University of Health Sciences | Whittier | $10,769 | $10,769 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Pacific University | San Dimas | $11,976 | $11,976 |
| 13 | Latin American Bible Institute | La Puente | $12,320 | $12,320 |
| 14 | Reach University | Oakland | $12,374 | $12,374 |
| 15 | National University | San Diego | $13,320 | $13,320 |
Private nonprofit 2-year colleges
Private for-profit 4-year colleges
Private for-profit 4-year colleges (35 schools with a reported price; showing the lowest 15)| # | School | City | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees |
|---|
| 1 | United States University | San Diego | $6,600 | $6,600 |
| 2 | California Miramar University | San Diego | $9,994 | $9,994 |
| 3 | Abraham Lincoln University | Glendale | $10,440 | $10,440 |
| 4 | Pacific College of Health and Science | San Diego | $10,732 | $10,732 |
| 5 | Ashford University | San Diego | $13,160 | $13,160 |
| 6 | San Diego Global Knowledge University | San Diego | $13,774 | $13,774 |
| 7 | Alliant International University-San Diego | San Diego | $13,918 | $13,918 |
| 8 | Platt College-Anaheim | Anaheim | $14,804 | $14,804 |
| 9 | Platt College-Los Angeles | Alhambra | $14,804 | $14,804 |
| 10 | Platt College-Ontario | Ontario | $14,804 | $14,804 |
| 11 | Platt College-Riverside | Riverside | $14,804 | $14,804 |
| 12 | Lionel University | Carpinteria | $15,288 | $15,288 |
| 13 | California Institute of Arts & Technology | National City | $15,390 | $15,390 |
| 14 | DeVry University-California | Ontario | $17,488 | $17,488 |
| 15 | Smith Chason College | Los Angeles | $19,100 | $19,100 |
Private for-profit 2-year colleges
Private for-profit 2-year colleges (9 schools with a reported price; showing the lowest 9)| # | School | City | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees |
|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles Pacific College | Los Angeles | $7,130 | $7,130 |
| 2 | Central California School of Continuing Education | San Luis Obispo | $9,895 | $9,895 |
| 3 | South Coast College | Orange | $13,409 | $13,409 |
| 4 | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Fremont | Fremont | $16,757 | $16,757 |
| 5 | Professional Golfers Career College | Temecula | $18,310 | $18,310 |
| 6 | California College of Music | Pasadena | $18,830 | $18,830 |
| 7 | Miami Ad School-San Francisco | San Francisco | $19,400 | $19,400 |
| 8 | Theatre of Arts | Hollywood | $21,940 | $21,940 |
| 9 | Sri Sai Krish Institute | ORANGE | $64,500 | $64,500 |
A low sticker price is not the same as a low cost to you: housing, aid and the length of time to finish a degree all change the real cost. See each school page for the full cost of attendance.