Degree Dividend
Sourced from federal dataEvery figure datedNo rankings for sale

Best colleges in California, ranked by ROI

All 334 California institutions we profile, ranked by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. Federal net price and earnings; payback is our math. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$19,905
Median net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$42,450
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
4 yrs
Median payback
Our math, 2026
334
Colleges ranked
degreedividend.com
California colleges by payback (best first)
#CollegeNet price/yrEarnings 10yPayback
1Moorpark College$-2,296$49,044-6.7 yrs
2Canada College$32$50,0870 yrs
3College of San Mateo$536$54,1720.2 yrs
4Skyline College$1,738$55,7020.5 yrs
5Stanford University$13,807$124,0800.7 yrs
6California Institute of Technology$16,075$128,5660.8 yrs
7University of California-Berkeley$13,481$92,4461.2 yrs
8University of California-San Diego$12,470$84,9431.4 yrs
9University of California-Los Angeles$12,548$82,5111.5 yrs
10California State University-Los Angeles$3,967$59,2111.5 yrs
11California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo$16,665$90,7681.6 yrs
12De Anza College$6,642$56,5961.6 yrs
13California State University-San Bernardino$4,564$59,9771.6 yrs
14California State University-East Bay$9,320$71,4011.6 yrs
15California State University-Stanislaus$6,067$63,1881.6 yrs
16Harvey Mudd College$35,924$138,6871.6 yrs
17California State University-Fullerton$6,555$62,9511.8 yrs
18University of California-Davis$14,741$80,8381.8 yrs
19University of California-Irvine$14,251$80,7351.8 yrs
20San Jose State University$13,760$78,9881.8 yrs
21Cal Poly Maritime Academy$20,555$94,7841.8 yrs
22Unitek College$19,130$87,8771.9 yrs
23California State Polytechnic University-Pomona$11,531$71,9022 yrs
24Claremont McKenna College$28,849$104,7362 yrs
25California State University-Bakersfield$5,652$59,0092.1 yrs
26West Valley College$3,423$51,6882.1 yrs
27California State University-Fresno$7,000$61,2442.2 yrs
28California State University-Sacramento$9,338$64,8762.3 yrs
29Northeastern University Oakland$25,181$92,5382.3 yrs
30University of California-Santa Barbara$16,109$74,9152.4 yrs
31West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County$32,879$102,6722.4 yrs
32San Francisco State University$12,278$68,0772.5 yrs
33California State University-Long Beach$10,440$64,4032.6 yrs
34California State University-Northridge$7,021$59,1152.6 yrs
35Pomona College$19,285$77,7792.6 yrs
36Pacific College$29,363$70,0642.7 yrs
37California State University-San Marcos$10,229$62,9082.8 yrs
38Sonoma State University$12,885$65,9862.9 yrs
39California State University-Channel Islands$9,849$62,1522.9 yrs
40University of California-Riverside$14,304$67,6993 yrs
41University of Southern California$32,740$92,4983 yrs
42University of California-Merced$11,983$64,3683 yrs
43Gnomon$51,949$114,7853.1 yrs
44University of San Diego$30,365$86,5223.2 yrs
45Unitek College$25,179$79,5503.2 yrs
46Saddleback College$4,152$50,8743.3 yrs
47Santa Clara University$50,062$109,1833.3 yrs
48Chamberlain University-California$36,559$92,4053.3 yrs
49Moreno Valley College$6,483$52,1333.4 yrs
50University of the Pacific$25,447$78,4453.4 yrs
51Foothill College$7,653$57,0723.5 yrs
52University of California-Santa Cruz$17,890$68,3963.6 yrs
53Norco College$5,169$51,2063.6 yrs
54Mount Saint Mary's University$21,413$72,3793.6 yrs
55San Diego State University$15,364$64,9093.7 yrs
56California State University-Chico$14,480$64,1723.7 yrs
57West Coast University-Ontario$49,590$102,6723.7 yrs
58Pacific Union College$41,008$70,4843.7 yrs
59Ohlone College$11,130$54,2783.8 yrs
60California State University-Dominguez Hills$8,615$57,1623.9 yrs
61Las Positas College$5,377$51,0883.9 yrs
62Mission College$5,080$50,9363.9 yrs
63Dominican University of California$35,333$84,7133.9 yrs
64University of San Francisco$41,431$89,8124 yrs
65Saint Mary's College of California$30,378$78,8124 yrs
66Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science$35,558$83,4384.1 yrs
67Menlo College$31,100$76,4194.4 yrs
68University of La Verne$20,161$65,4644.7 yrs
69National University$22,878$67,5484.8 yrs
70Azusa Pacific University$22,212$66,6774.9 yrs
71University of Redlands$30,031$72,6904.9 yrs
72California State University-Monterey Bay$13,663$59,2475 yrs
73Scripps College$36,294$77,5395 yrs
74Fresno Pacific University$13,630$58,8965.2 yrs
75Irvine Valley College$2,090$49,1565.3 yrs
76Evergreen Valley College$12,414$53,0775.3 yrs
77Diablo Valley College$8,312$51,3785.5 yrs
78Occidental College$38,263$75,9515.5 yrs
79California Lutheran University$30,109$68,7125.9 yrs
80Brownson Technical School$30,513$68,7676 yrs
81Loyola Marymount University$48,381$78,3496.5 yrs
82Pitzer College$34,191$69,5126.5 yrs
83Pepperdine University$58,098$82,9396.7 yrs
84Concordia University-Irvine$28,115$65,0836.7 yrs
85Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts$32,427$66,8447 yrs
86Smith Chason College$34,367$58,0047.1 yrs
87Westmont College$29,053$64,7787.1 yrs
88University of Massachusetts Global$32,654$65,7037.5 yrs
89Southern California Institute of Architecture$43,923$71,9097.5 yrs
90Vanguard University of Southern California$21,241$59,5417.6 yrs
91Woodbury University$33,692$65,6687.8 yrs
92California Baptist University$26,285$61,5048 yrs
93Art Center College of Design$48,661$71,9588.2 yrs
94Chapman University$46,555$70,0708.6 yrs
95Whittier College$25,757$59,4929.3 yrs
96Point Loma Nazarene University$38,729$63,9989.9 yrs
97Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology$32,601$61,5759.9 yrs
98Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology$33,320$61,57510.1 yrs
99Soka University of America$18,260$55,01711 yrs
100College of the Canyons$3,702$49,02211.2 yrs
101Universal Technical Institute of California Inc$26,360$52,87311.7 yrs
102Universal Technical Institute-Southern California$27,506$52,87312.2 yrs
103Stanbridge University$45,372$62,14413.2 yrs
104La Sierra University$45,566$61,82413.5 yrs
105William Jessup University$28,062$56,25714.2 yrs
106Thomas Aquinas College$26,196$55,61914.4 yrs
107The Master's University and Seminary$32,647$57,10614.9 yrs
108Biola University$31,495$56,77815 yrs
109John Paul the Great Catholic University$34,666$56,93016.2 yrs
110Simpson University$27,817$54,34018.6 yrs
111Otis College of Art and Design$51,248$58,15220.9 yrs
112Napa Valley College$14,644$49,51725.3 yrs
113Southern California Institute of Technology$33,392$53,59825.5 yrs
114Casa Loma College-Los Angeles$27,596$49,85436.9 yrs
115University of Silicon Valley$27,815$51,01741.9 yrs
116Hope International University$29,310$49,69787.7 yrs
117Angeles College$28,639$49,108153.1 yrs
118California College of the Arts$53,909$49,414204.6 yrs
119San Diego Miramar College$3,337$48,224no payback
120Santa Barbara City College$11,315$47,647no payback
121Gavilan College$6,542$47,169no payback
122Chabot College$9,053$48,143no payback
123Santa Rosa Junior College$6,331$47,224no payback
124Orange Coast College$7,203$47,348no payback
125Mt San Antonio College$6,490$46,283no payback
126Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc$28,887$48,341no payback
127California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt$13,171$47,626no payback
128Santiago Canyon College$2,129$44,956no payback
129Sierra College$7,245$45,294no payback
130San Diego Mesa College$5,814$45,120no payback
131San Jose City College$16,959$46,215no payback
132City College of San Francisco$6,906$45,805no payback
133Hartnell College$2,039$44,316no payback
134Downey Adult School$13,695$46,851no payback
135Solano Community College$4,669$44,170no payback
136Cuesta College$12,124$46,047no payback
137Pasadena City College$3,864$43,937no payback
138Ventura College$-982$43,430no payback
139Los Angeles Pierce College$13,270$44,521no payback
140MiraCosta College$7,339$43,845no payback
141San Joaquin Delta College$2,407$43,212no payback
142Santa Ana College$3,133$43,552no payback
143Coastline Community College$16,341$44,483no payback
144Fullerton College$6,134$43,366no payback
145Golden West College$4,824$43,145no payback
146Cypress College$4,606$43,533no payback
147Cabrillo College$15,843$44,114no payback
148Chaffey College$5,672$42,975no payback
149California Nurses Educational Institute$23,231$46,895no payback
150Modesto Junior College$2,818$42,368no payback
151Rio Hondo College$14,379$44,950no payback
152Folsom Lake College$5,975$42,568no payback
153Asher College$35,499$45,468no payback
154Santa Monica College$2,779$42,193no payback
155Cosumnes River College$5,981$42,446no payback
156College of Alameda$8,496$42,563no payback
157Los Medanos College$7,443$42,454no payback
158Allan Hancock College$5,383$42,786no payback
159South Coast College$16,534$44,897no payback
160Merritt College$14,021$44,392no payback
161Sacramento City College$6,614$42,214no payback
162Oxnard College$-1,128$41,393no payback
163Crafton Hills College$11,331$42,553no payback
164College of Marin$12,351$42,654no payback
165Butte College$5,520$41,810no payback
166Citrus College$4,135$42,065no payback
167Palomar College$5,763$42,300no payback
168Monterey Peninsula College$11,373$42,176no payback
169El Camino Community College District$5,968$41,589no payback
170MTI College$21,740$45,328no payback
171Concorde Career College-Garden Grove$24,698$45,711no payback
172Glendale Community College$8,365$41,540no payback
173Cerritos College$2,424$41,156no payback
174Berkeley City College$9,096$41,217no payback
175Career Networks Institute$49,677$45,256no payback
176Riverside City College$8,377$41,091no payback
177Los Angeles Valley College$12,152$42,678no payback
178Contra Costa College$9,490$40,850no payback
179East Los Angeles College$10,852$42,006no payback
180Los Angeles Harbor College$13,250$41,133no payback
181Grossmont College$5,311$40,309no payback
182Mendocino College$8,330$40,243no payback
183Laguna College of Art and Design$42,505$47,867no payback
184American River College$7,999$40,162no payback
185Yuba College$2,576$39,552no payback
186DeVry University-California$33,744$45,987no payback
187Lemoore College$10,832$40,292no payback
188Woodland Community College$8,356$40,042no payback
189Life Pacific University$20,898$43,299no payback
190College of the Sequoias$480$39,092no payback
191Shasta College$2,878$39,269no payback
192Southwestern College$12,671$40,060no payback
193Platt College-Ontario$20,711$40,669no payback
194Taft College$2,823$38,861no payback
195Hacienda La Puente Adult Education$3,536$39,271no payback
196Los Angeles Mission College$13,380$39,834no payback
197Platt College-Riverside$21,889$40,669no payback
198Platt College-Anaheim$22,678$40,669no payback
199College of the Siskiyous$11,120$39,098no payback
200Columbia College$11,316$39,035no payback
201San Bernardino Valley College$18,943$39,676no payback
202San Diego City College$7,935$38,503no payback
203Mt San Jacinto Community College District$6,806$38,319no payback
204Long Beach City College$6,202$38,870no payback
205Reedley College$6,814$38,493no payback
206Feather River Community College District$10,800$38,142no payback
207Touro University Worldwide$19,058$40,803no payback
208Glendale Career College-North-West College-MFSON$45,438$41,472no payback
209North-West College-San Diego$46,503$41,472no payback
210Merced College$5,040$37,815no payback
211Blake Austin College$29,136$42,518no payback
212West Los Angeles College$9,634$38,537no payback
213Glendale Career College$49,195$41,472no payback
214Glendale Career College-North-West College-Bakersfield$51,867$41,472no payback
215Antelope Valley Community College District$3,860$36,526no payback
216Victor Valley College$1,947$36,119no payback
217College of the Desert$15,728$39,020no payback
218Bakersfield College$14,621$37,291no payback
219Lake Tahoe Community College$8,516$36,657no payback
220Fresno City College$8,069$37,361no payback
221Laney College$17,110$37,282no payback
222College of the Redwoods$6,904$36,243no payback
223Coalinga College$10,477$37,633no payback
224Central Coast College$26,667$40,823no payback
225San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Cordova$29,811$38,317no payback
226Los Angeles City College$10,261$36,190no payback
227Platt College-Los Angeles$27,551$40,669no payback
228Porterville College$12,301$36,328no payback
229CBD College$23,033$37,237no payback
230Concorde Career College-San Bernardino$26,029$39,993no payback
231Lassen Community College$12,517$35,994no payback
232Imperial Valley College$1,115$34,487no payback
233Summit College$29,926$40,187no payback
234North-West College-Anaheim$28,922$39,876no payback
235North-West College-Pomona$30,851$39,876no payback
236San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield$23,351$38,317no payback
237North-West College-Riverside$33,139$39,876no payback
238San Joaquin Valley College-Hesperia$25,496$38,317no payback
239Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos$27,365$38,673no payback
240North-West College-Long Beach$33,503$39,876no payback
241San Joaquin Valley College-Temecula$25,869$38,317no payback
242Cerro Coso Community College$18,306$34,963no payback
243San Joaquin Valley College-Modesto$26,706$38,317no payback
244San Joaquin Valley College-Lancaster$26,717$38,317no payback
245Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista$28,561$38,673no payback
246National Career Education$25,380$38,015no payback
247Compton College$12,647$34,181no payback
248San Joaquin Valley College-Ontario$27,024$38,317no payback
249Los Angeles Trade Technical College$12,323$35,233no payback
250San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia$27,854$38,317no payback
251San Joaquin Valley College-Trades Education Center$27,887$38,317no payback
252San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Mirage$28,158$38,317no payback
253Palo Verde College$18,993$36,389no payback
254Institute for Business and Technology$27,207$38,015no payback
255Barstow Community College$12,773$35,104no payback
256Copper Mountain Community College$9,105$33,281no payback
257Carrington College-San Jose$36,466$39,633no payback
258American Career College-Anaheim$31,218$38,430no payback
259Carrington College-Stockton$37,481$39,633no payback
260California Institute of the Arts$46,080$41,198no payback
261American Career College-Los Angeles$32,408$38,430no payback
262American Career College-Ontario$33,431$38,492no payback
263Cuyamaca College$6,618$32,435no payback
264Carrington College-Pleasant Hill Campus$39,357$39,633no payback
265Carrington College-San Leandro Campus$39,675$39,633no payback
266Los Angeles Southwest College$5,964$32,172no payback
267North-West College-West Covina$30,332$37,542no payback
268Carrington College-Sacramento$41,338$39,633no payback
269California Aeronautical University$36,126$38,361no payback
270Academy of Art University$40,613$39,008no payback
271Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education$6,665$32,069no payback
272InterCoast Colleges-West Covina$27,536$36,089no payback
273Institute of Technology$23,159$35,095no payback
274Healthcare Career College$13,756$32,613no payback
275Career Care Institute$50,201$39,888no payback
276CET-San Jose$16,101$32,986no payback
277Laurus College$22,733$30,896no payback
278CET-San Diego$22,035$32,986no payback
279National Polytechnic College$30,669$30,781no payback
280Milan Institute-Visalia$24,040$32,493no payback
281American College of Healthcare and Technology$19,649$31,109no payback
282Paul Mitchell the School-Sacramento$16,717$30,336no payback
283North-West College-Van Nuys$31,999$32,488no payback
284UEI College-Ontario$26,394$31,141no payback
285Arizona College of Nursing-Ontario$44,477$34,657no payback
286UEI College-West Covina$27,414$31,141no payback
287UEI College-Reseda$27,464$31,141no payback
288American Medical Sciences Center$21,629$29,972no payback
289UEI College-Garden Grove$28,182$31,141no payback
290UEI College-Stockton$28,455$31,141no payback
291Los Angeles Film School$30,980$31,632no payback
292UEI College-Chula Vista$28,606$31,141no payback
293UEI College-Huntington Park$29,145$31,141no payback
294UEI College-Oceanside$29,253$31,141no payback
295Paul Mitchell the School-Modesto$17,246$28,691no payback
296Paul Mitchell the School-Fresno$22,624$29,671no payback
297UEI College-Sacramento$28,670$30,848no payback
298UEI College-Gardena$28,691$30,848no payback
299Federico Beauty Institute$24,028$29,856no payback
300UEI College-Riverside$29,702$30,848no payback
301Milan Institute-Palm Desert$24,730$29,491no payback
302Mayfield College$24,948$29,384no payback
303North Adrian's College of Beauty Inc$16,561$27,269no payback
304Musicians Institute$46,518$32,778no payback
305Salon Success Academy-Upland$17,658$26,956no payback
306Los Angeles College of Music$43,590$31,758no payback
307Paul Mitchell the School-Costa Mesa$21,920$26,897no payback
308UEI College-Bakersfield$27,257$27,688no payback
309UEI College-Fresno$28,282$27,688no payback
310New York Film Academy$39,011$29,633no payback
311National Holistic Institute$33,287$27,978no payback
312Diversified Vocational College$21,711$25,328no payback
313Career Academy of Beauty$17,769$24,410no payback
314California Healing Arts College$21,504$25,151no payback
315Paul Mitchell the School-Sherman Oaks$27,101$26,262no payback
316Milan Institute-Clovis$23,238$24,879no payback
317Milan Institute-Merced$23,396$24,879no payback
318Milan Institute-Bakersfield$24,487$24,879no payback
319Paul Mitchell the School-San Diego$35,975$26,897no payback
320Associated Technical College-Los Angeles$23,629$24,368no payback
321Bellus Academy-Chula Vista$20,738$23,576no payback
322Lu Ross Academy$19,444$23,148no payback
323Salon Success Academy-Redlands$18,357$22,412no payback
324Bellus Academy-Poway$32,767$25,223no payback
325Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Vacaville$23,880$22,378no payback
326American Beauty College$25,781$22,481no payback
327Paul Mitchell the School-Temecula$27,850$22,452no payback
328Sierra College of Beauty$10,794$18,519no payback
329Hypnosis Motivation Institute$48,328$24,244no payback
330Healing Hands School of Holistic Health$52,498$24,366no payback
331National Career College$27,850$19,347no payback
332Moler Barber College$23,361$15,204no payback
333Advance Beauty College$10,358$11,575no payback
334Coastline Beauty College$22,007$11,585no payback

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