State rankings

Best colleges in California, ranked by ROI

Name: California colleges — cost, earnings and ROI rankings
Creator: Degree Dividend

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

We rank all 334 California institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $19,905/yr (above the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $42,450 ten years out (below the $43,549 national median). Moorpark College leads, clearing its cost in -6.7 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$19,905

Median net price / yr

Scorecard, 2026

$42,450

Median earnings, 10 yrs

Scorecard, 2026

4 yrs

Median payback

Our math, 2026

334

Colleges ranked

degreedividend.com

California colleges by payback (best first)

#	College	Net price/yr	Earnings 10y	Payback
1	Moorpark College	-$2,296	$49,044	-6.7 yrs
2	Canada College	$32	$50,087	0 yrs
3	College of San Mateo	$536	$54,172	0.2 yrs
4	Skyline College	$1,738	$55,702	0.5 yrs
5	Stanford University	$13,807	$124,080	0.7 yrs
6	California Institute of Technology	$16,075	$128,566	0.8 yrs
7	University of California-Berkeley	$13,481	$92,446	1.2 yrs
8	University of California-San Diego	$12,470	$84,943	1.4 yrs
9	California State University-Los Angeles	$3,967	$59,211	1.5 yrs
10	University of California-Los Angeles	$12,548	$82,511	1.5 yrs
11	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	$16,665	$90,768	1.6 yrs
12	California State University-East Bay	$9,320	$71,401	1.6 yrs
13	California State University-San Bernardino	$4,564	$59,977	1.6 yrs
14	California State University-Stanislaus	$6,067	$63,188	1.6 yrs
15	De Anza College	$6,642	$56,596	1.6 yrs
16	Harvey Mudd College	$35,924	$138,687	1.6 yrs
17	Cal Poly Maritime Academy	$20,555	$94,784	1.8 yrs
18	California State University-Fullerton	$6,555	$62,951	1.8 yrs
19	San Jose State University	$13,760	$78,988	1.8 yrs
20	University of California-Davis	$14,741	$80,838	1.8 yrs
21	University of California-Irvine	$14,251	$80,735	1.8 yrs
22	Unitek College	$19,130	$87,877	1.9 yrs
23	California State Polytechnic University-Pomona	$11,531	$71,902	2 yrs
24	Claremont McKenna College	$28,849	$104,736	2 yrs
25	California State University-Bakersfield	$5,652	$59,009	2.1 yrs
26	West Valley College	$3,423	$51,688	2.1 yrs
27	California State University-Fresno	$7,000	$61,244	2.2 yrs
28	California State University-Sacramento	$9,338	$64,876	2.3 yrs
29	Northeastern University Oakland	$25,181	$92,538	2.3 yrs
30	University of California-Santa Barbara	$16,109	$74,915	2.4 yrs
31	West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County	$32,879	$102,672	2.4 yrs
32	San Francisco State University	$12,278	$68,077	2.5 yrs
33	California State University-Long Beach	$10,440	$64,403	2.6 yrs
34	California State University-Northridge	$7,021	$59,115	2.6 yrs
35	Pomona College	$19,285	$77,779	2.6 yrs
36	Pacific College	$29,363	$70,064	2.7 yrs
37	California State University-San Marcos	$10,229	$62,908	2.8 yrs
38	California State University-Channel Islands	$9,849	$62,152	2.9 yrs
39	Sonoma State University	$12,885	$65,986	2.9 yrs
40	University of California-Merced	$11,983	$64,368	3 yrs
41	University of California-Riverside	$14,304	$67,699	3 yrs
42	University of Southern California	$32,740	$92,498	3 yrs
43	Gnomon	$51,949	$114,785	3.1 yrs
44	Unitek College	$25,179	$79,550	3.2 yrs
45	University of San Diego	$30,365	$86,522	3.2 yrs
46	Chamberlain University-California	$36,559	$92,405	3.3 yrs
47	Saddleback College	$4,152	$50,874	3.3 yrs
48	Santa Clara University	$50,062	$109,183	3.3 yrs
49	Moreno Valley College	$6,483	$52,133	3.4 yrs
50	University of the Pacific	$25,447	$78,445	3.4 yrs
51	Foothill College	$7,653	$57,072	3.5 yrs
52	Mount Saint Mary's University	$21,413	$72,379	3.6 yrs
53	Norco College	$5,169	$51,206	3.6 yrs
54	University of California-Santa Cruz	$17,890	$68,396	3.6 yrs
55	California State University-Chico	$14,480	$64,172	3.7 yrs
56	Pacific Union College	$41,008	$70,484	3.7 yrs
57	San Diego State University	$15,364	$64,909	3.7 yrs
58	West Coast University-Ontario	$49,590	$102,672	3.7 yrs
59	Ohlone College	$11,130	$54,278	3.8 yrs
60	California State University-Dominguez Hills	$8,615	$57,162	3.9 yrs
61	Dominican University of California	$35,333	$84,713	3.9 yrs
62	Las Positas College	$5,377	$51,088	3.9 yrs
63	Mission College	$5,080	$50,936	3.9 yrs
64	Saint Mary's College of California	$30,378	$78,812	4 yrs
65	University of San Francisco	$41,431	$89,812	4 yrs
66	Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science	$35,558	$83,438	4.1 yrs
67	Menlo College	$31,100	$76,419	4.4 yrs
68	University of La Verne	$20,161	$65,464	4.7 yrs
69	National University	$22,878	$67,548	4.8 yrs
70	Azusa Pacific University	$22,212	$66,677	4.9 yrs
71	University of Redlands	$30,031	$72,690	4.9 yrs
72	California State University-Monterey Bay	$13,663	$59,247	5 yrs
73	Scripps College	$36,294	$77,539	5 yrs
74	Fresno Pacific University	$13,630	$58,896	5.2 yrs
75	Evergreen Valley College	$12,414	$53,077	5.3 yrs
76	Irvine Valley College	$2,090	$49,156	5.3 yrs
77	Diablo Valley College	$8,312	$51,378	5.5 yrs
78	Occidental College	$38,263	$75,951	5.5 yrs
79	California Lutheran University	$30,109	$68,712	5.9 yrs
80	Brownson Technical School	$30,513	$68,767	6 yrs
81	Loyola Marymount University	$48,381	$78,349	6.5 yrs
82	Pitzer College	$34,191	$69,512	6.5 yrs
83	Concordia University-Irvine	$28,115	$65,083	6.7 yrs
84	Pepperdine University	$58,098	$82,939	6.7 yrs
85	Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts	$32,427	$66,844	7 yrs
86	Smith Chason College	$34,367	$58,004	7.1 yrs
87	Westmont College	$29,053	$64,778	7.1 yrs
88	Southern California Institute of Architecture	$43,923	$71,909	7.5 yrs
89	University of Massachusetts Global	$32,654	$65,703	7.5 yrs
90	Vanguard University of Southern California	$21,241	$59,541	7.6 yrs
91	Woodbury University	$33,692	$65,668	7.8 yrs
92	California Baptist University	$26,285	$61,504	8 yrs
93	Art Center College of Design	$48,661	$71,958	8.2 yrs
94	Chapman University	$46,555	$70,070	8.6 yrs
95	Whittier College	$25,757	$59,492	9.3 yrs
96	Point Loma Nazarene University	$38,729	$63,998	9.9 yrs
97	Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology	$32,601	$61,575	9.9 yrs
98	Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology	$33,320	$61,575	10.1 yrs
99	Soka University of America	$18,260	$55,017	11 yrs
100	College of the Canyons	$3,702	$49,022	11.2 yrs
101	Universal Technical Institute of California Inc	$26,360	$52,873	11.7 yrs
102	Universal Technical Institute-Southern California	$27,506	$52,873	12.2 yrs
103	Stanbridge University	$45,372	$62,144	13.2 yrs
104	La Sierra University	$45,566	$61,824	13.5 yrs
105	William Jessup University	$28,062	$56,257	14.2 yrs
106	Thomas Aquinas College	$26,196	$55,619	14.4 yrs
107	The Master's University and Seminary	$32,647	$57,106	14.9 yrs
108	Biola University	$31,495	$56,778	15 yrs
109	John Paul the Great Catholic University	$34,666	$56,930	16.2 yrs
110	Simpson University	$27,817	$54,340	18.6 yrs
111	Otis College of Art and Design	$51,248	$58,152	20.9 yrs
112	Napa Valley College	$14,644	$49,517	25.3 yrs
113	Southern California Institute of Technology	$33,392	$53,598	25.5 yrs
114	Casa Loma College-Los Angeles	$27,596	$49,854	36.9 yrs
115	University of Silicon Valley	$27,815	$51,017	41.9 yrs
116	Hope International University	$29,310	$49,697	87.7 yrs
117	Angeles College	$28,639	$49,108	153.1 yrs
118	California College of the Arts	$53,909	$49,414	204.6 yrs
119	San Diego Miramar College	$3,337	$48,224	no payback
120	Santa Barbara City College	$11,315	$47,647	no payback
121	Gavilan College	$6,542	$47,169	no payback
122	Chabot College	$9,053	$48,143	no payback
123	Santa Rosa Junior College	$6,331	$47,224	no payback
124	Orange Coast College	$7,203	$47,348	no payback
125	Mt San Antonio College	$6,490	$46,283	no payback
126	Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc	$28,887	$48,341	no payback
127	California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt	$13,171	$47,626	no payback
128	Santiago Canyon College	$2,129	$44,956	no payback
129	Sierra College	$7,245	$45,294	no payback
130	San Diego Mesa College	$5,814	$45,120	no payback
131	San Jose City College	$16,959	$46,215	no payback
132	City College of San Francisco	$6,906	$45,805	no payback
133	Hartnell College	$2,039	$44,316	no payback
134	Downey Adult School	$13,695	$46,851	no payback
135	Solano Community College	$4,669	$44,170	no payback
136	Cuesta College	$12,124	$46,047	no payback
137	Pasadena City College	$3,864	$43,937	no payback
138	Ventura College	-$982	$43,430	no payback
139	Los Angeles Pierce College	$13,270	$44,521	no payback
140	MiraCosta College	$7,339	$43,845	no payback
141	San Joaquin Delta College	$2,407	$43,212	no payback
142	Santa Ana College	$3,133	$43,552	no payback
143	Coastline Community College	$16,341	$44,483	no payback
144	Fullerton College	$6,134	$43,366	no payback
145	Golden West College	$4,824	$43,145	no payback
146	Cypress College	$4,606	$43,533	no payback
147	Cabrillo College	$15,843	$44,114	no payback
148	Chaffey College	$5,672	$42,975	no payback
149	California Nurses Educational Institute	$23,231	$46,895	no payback
150	Modesto Junior College	$2,818	$42,368	no payback
151	Rio Hondo College	$14,379	$44,950	no payback
152	Folsom Lake College	$5,975	$42,568	no payback
153	Asher College	$35,499	$45,468	no payback
154	Santa Monica College	$2,779	$42,193	no payback
155	Cosumnes River College	$5,981	$42,446	no payback
156	College of Alameda	$8,496	$42,563	no payback
157	Los Medanos College	$7,443	$42,454	no payback
158	Allan Hancock College	$5,383	$42,786	no payback
159	South Coast College	$16,534	$44,897	no payback
160	Merritt College	$14,021	$44,392	no payback
161	Sacramento City College	$6,614	$42,214	no payback
162	Oxnard College	-$1,128	$41,393	no payback
163	Crafton Hills College	$11,331	$42,553	no payback
164	College of Marin	$12,351	$42,654	no payback
165	Butte College	$5,520	$41,810	no payback
166	Citrus College	$4,135	$42,065	no payback
167	Palomar College	$5,763	$42,300	no payback
168	Monterey Peninsula College	$11,373	$42,176	no payback
169	El Camino Community College District	$5,968	$41,589	no payback
170	MTI College	$21,740	$45,328	no payback
171	Concorde Career College-Garden Grove	$24,698	$45,711	no payback
172	Glendale Community College	$8,365	$41,540	no payback
173	Cerritos College	$2,424	$41,156	no payback
174	Berkeley City College	$9,096	$41,217	no payback
175	Career Networks Institute	$49,677	$45,256	no payback
176	Riverside City College	$8,377	$41,091	no payback
177	Los Angeles Valley College	$12,152	$42,678	no payback
178	Contra Costa College	$9,490	$40,850	no payback
179	East Los Angeles College	$10,852	$42,006	no payback
180	Los Angeles Harbor College	$13,250	$41,133	no payback
181	Grossmont College	$5,311	$40,309	no payback
182	Mendocino College	$8,330	$40,243	no payback
183	Laguna College of Art and Design	$42,505	$47,867	no payback
184	American River College	$7,999	$40,162	no payback
185	Yuba College	$2,576	$39,552	no payback
186	DeVry University-California	$33,744	$45,987	no payback
187	Lemoore College	$10,832	$40,292	no payback
188	Woodland Community College	$8,356	$40,042	no payback
189	Life Pacific University	$20,898	$43,299	no payback
190	College of the Sequoias	$480	$39,092	no payback
191	Shasta College	$2,878	$39,269	no payback
192	Southwestern College	$12,671	$40,060	no payback
193	Platt College-Ontario	$20,711	$40,669	no payback
194	Taft College	$2,823	$38,861	no payback
195	Hacienda La Puente Adult Education	$3,536	$39,271	no payback
196	Los Angeles Mission College	$13,380	$39,834	no payback
197	Platt College-Riverside	$21,889	$40,669	no payback
198	Platt College-Anaheim	$22,678	$40,669	no payback
199	College of the Siskiyous	$11,120	$39,098	no payback
200	Columbia College	$11,316	$39,035	no payback
201	San Bernardino Valley College	$18,943	$39,676	no payback
202	San Diego City College	$7,935	$38,503	no payback
203	Mt San Jacinto Community College District	$6,806	$38,319	no payback
204	Long Beach City College	$6,202	$38,870	no payback
205	Reedley College	$6,814	$38,493	no payback
206	Feather River Community College District	$10,800	$38,142	no payback
207	Touro University Worldwide	$19,058	$40,803	no payback
208	Glendale Career College-North-West College-MFSON	$45,438	$41,472	no payback
209	North-West College-San Diego	$46,503	$41,472	no payback
210	Merced College	$5,040	$37,815	no payback
211	Blake Austin College	$29,136	$42,518	no payback
212	West Los Angeles College	$9,634	$38,537	no payback
213	Glendale Career College	$49,195	$41,472	no payback
214	Glendale Career College-North-West College-Bakersfield	$51,867	$41,472	no payback
215	Antelope Valley Community College District	$3,860	$36,526	no payback
216	Victor Valley College	$1,947	$36,119	no payback
217	College of the Desert	$15,728	$39,020	no payback
218	Bakersfield College	$14,621	$37,291	no payback
219	Lake Tahoe Community College	$8,516	$36,657	no payback
220	Fresno City College	$8,069	$37,361	no payback
221	Laney College	$17,110	$37,282	no payback
222	College of the Redwoods	$6,904	$36,243	no payback
223	Coalinga College	$10,477	$37,633	no payback
224	Central Coast College	$26,667	$40,823	no payback
225	San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Cordova	$29,811	$38,317	no payback
226	Los Angeles City College	$10,261	$36,190	no payback
227	Platt College-Los Angeles	$27,551	$40,669	no payback
228	Porterville College	$12,301	$36,328	no payback
229	CBD College	$23,033	$37,237	no payback
230	Concorde Career College-San Bernardino	$26,029	$39,993	no payback
231	Lassen Community College	$12,517	$35,994	no payback
232	Imperial Valley College	$1,115	$34,487	no payback
233	Summit College	$29,926	$40,187	no payback
234	North-West College-Anaheim	$28,922	$39,876	no payback
235	North-West College-Pomona	$30,851	$39,876	no payback
236	San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield	$23,351	$38,317	no payback
237	North-West College-Riverside	$33,139	$39,876	no payback
238	San Joaquin Valley College-Hesperia	$25,496	$38,317	no payback
239	Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos	$27,365	$38,673	no payback
240	North-West College-Long Beach	$33,503	$39,876	no payback
241	San Joaquin Valley College-Temecula	$25,869	$38,317	no payback
242	Cerro Coso Community College	$18,306	$34,963	no payback
243	San Joaquin Valley College-Modesto	$26,706	$38,317	no payback
244	San Joaquin Valley College-Lancaster	$26,717	$38,317	no payback
245	Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista	$28,561	$38,673	no payback
246	National Career Education	$25,380	$38,015	no payback
247	Compton College	$12,647	$34,181	no payback
248	San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario	$27,024	$38,317	no payback
249	Los Angeles Trade Technical College	$12,323	$35,233	no payback
250	San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia	$27,854	$38,317	no payback
251	San Joaquin Valley College-Trades Education Center	$27,887	$38,317	no payback
252	San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Mirage	$28,158	$38,317	no payback
253	Palo Verde College	$18,993	$36,389	no payback
254	Institute for Business and Technology	$27,207	$38,015	no payback
255	Barstow Community College	$12,773	$35,104	no payback
256	Copper Mountain Community College	$9,105	$33,281	no payback
257	Carrington College-San Jose	$36,466	$39,633	no payback
258	American Career College-Anaheim	$31,218	$38,430	no payback
259	Carrington College-Stockton	$37,481	$39,633	no payback
260	California Institute of the Arts	$46,080	$41,198	no payback
261	American Career College-Los Angeles	$32,408	$38,430	no payback
262	American Career College-Ontario	$33,431	$38,492	no payback
263	Cuyamaca College	$6,618	$32,435	no payback
264	Carrington College-Pleasant Hill Campus	$39,357	$39,633	no payback
265	Carrington College-San Leandro Campus	$39,675	$39,633	no payback
266	Los Angeles Southwest College	$5,964	$32,172	no payback
267	North-West College-West Covina	$30,332	$37,542	no payback
268	Carrington College-Sacramento	$41,338	$39,633	no payback
269	California Aeronautical University	$36,126	$38,361	no payback
270	Academy of Art University	$40,613	$39,008	no payback
271	Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education	$6,665	$32,069	no payback
272	InterCoast Colleges-West Covina	$27,536	$36,089	no payback
273	Institute of Technology	$23,159	$35,095	no payback
274	Healthcare Career College	$13,756	$32,613	no payback
275	Career Care Institute	$50,201	$39,888	no payback
276	CET-San Jose	$16,101	$32,986	no payback
277	Laurus College	$22,733	$30,896	no payback
278	CET-San Diego	$22,035	$32,986	no payback
279	National Polytechnic College	$30,669	$30,781	no payback
280	Milan Institute-Visalia	$24,040	$32,493	no payback
281	American College of Healthcare and Technology	$19,649	$31,109	no payback
282	Paul Mitchell the School-Sacramento	$16,717	$30,336	no payback
283	North-West College-Van Nuys	$31,999	$32,488	no payback
284	UEI College-Ontario	$26,394	$31,141	no payback
285	Arizona College of Nursing-Ontario	$44,477	$34,657	no payback
286	UEI College-West Covina	$27,414	$31,141	no payback
287	UEI College-Reseda	$27,464	$31,141	no payback
288	American Medical Sciences Center	$21,629	$29,972	no payback
289	UEI College-Garden Grove	$28,182	$31,141	no payback
290	UEI College-Stockton	$28,455	$31,141	no payback
291	Los Angeles Film School	$30,980	$31,632	no payback
292	UEI College-Chula Vista	$28,606	$31,141	no payback
293	UEI College-Huntington Park	$29,145	$31,141	no payback
294	UEI College-Oceanside	$29,253	$31,141	no payback
295	Paul Mitchell the School-Modesto	$17,246	$28,691	no payback
296	Paul Mitchell the School-Fresno	$22,624	$29,671	no payback
297	UEI College-Sacramento	$28,670	$30,848	no payback
298	UEI College-Gardena	$28,691	$30,848	no payback
299	Federico Beauty Institute	$24,028	$29,856	no payback
300	UEI College-Riverside	$29,702	$30,848	no payback
301	Milan Institute-Palm Desert	$24,730	$29,491	no payback
302	Mayfield College	$24,948	$29,384	no payback
303	North Adrian's College of Beauty Inc	$16,561	$27,269	no payback
304	Musicians Institute	$46,518	$32,778	no payback
305	Salon Success Academy-Upland	$17,658	$26,956	no payback
306	Los Angeles College of Music	$43,590	$31,758	no payback
307	Paul Mitchell the School-Costa Mesa	$21,920	$26,897	no payback
308	UEI College-Bakersfield	$27,257	$27,688	no payback
309	UEI College-Fresno	$28,282	$27,688	no payback
310	New York Film Academy	$39,011	$29,633	no payback
311	National Holistic Institute	$33,287	$27,978	no payback
312	Diversified Vocational College	$21,711	$25,328	no payback
313	Career Academy of Beauty	$17,769	$24,410	no payback
314	California Healing Arts College	$21,504	$25,151	no payback
315	Paul Mitchell the School-Sherman Oaks	$27,101	$26,262	no payback
316	Milan Institute-Clovis	$23,238	$24,879	no payback
317	Milan Institute-Merced	$23,396	$24,879	no payback
318	Milan Institute-Bakersfield	$24,487	$24,879	no payback
319	Paul Mitchell the School-San Diego	$35,975	$26,897	no payback
320	Associated Technical College-Los Angeles	$23,629	$24,368	no payback
321	Bellus Academy-Chula Vista	$20,738	$23,576	no payback
322	Lu Ross Academy	$19,444	$23,148	no payback
323	Salon Success Academy-Redlands	$18,357	$22,412	no payback
324	Bellus Academy-Poway	$32,767	$25,223	no payback
325	Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville	$23,880	$22,378	no payback
326	American Beauty College	$25,781	$22,481	no payback
327	Paul Mitchell the School-Temecula	$27,850	$22,452	no payback
328	Sierra College of Beauty	$10,794	$18,519	no payback
329	Hypnosis Motivation Institute	$48,328	$24,244	no payback
330	Healing Hands School of Holistic Health	$52,498	$24,366	no payback
331	National Career College	$27,850	$19,347	no payback
332	Moler Barber College	$23,361	$15,204	no payback
333	Advance Beauty College	$10,358	$11,575	no payback
334	Coastline Beauty College	$22,007	$11,585	no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in California: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in California?

Moorpark College. It charges -$2,296/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $49,044 ten years out, clearing the cost in about -6.7 years — the fastest payback of the 334 California colleges we track.

How much does college cost in California?

The median net price across California colleges is $19,905/yr after grants and scholarships — above the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.

What do California college graduates earn?

A median $42,450 ten years after entry (Scorecard), below the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.

How many California colleges pay for themselves?

118 of the 334 California colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.