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CA · 664 COVERED COLLEGES

College ROI in California

See the strongest eligible ROI and value signals, then browse every covered college located in the state.

Download CA data ↓Read the national value report →Federal data through June 10, 2026
90Colleges with a publishable ROI scenario
$64,649Median observed year-5 earnings
$26,196Median annual net price
−24%Median modeled 10-year ROI
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024

California's everyday prices are 10.7% above the U.S. average

This statewide BEA benchmark helps put college budgets in context. It is not tuition, a campus-specific cost estimate or an input to our ROI rankings.

Overall prices
110.7
Housing
154.3
Utilities
158.9
U.S. average = 100
TOP 10 · ECONOMIC ROI

Best estimated 10-year return

90 colleges meet the consistent ROI screen.

1California Institute of TechnologyPasadena · Private nonprofit+276%2Stanford UniversityStanford · Private nonprofit+274%3Harvey Mudd CollegeClaremont · Private nonprofit+237%4Cal Poly Maritime AcademyVallejo · Public+141%5University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley · Public+116%6Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont · Private nonprofit+114%7West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange CountyAnaheim · Private for-profit+104%8California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo · Public+80%9University of California, San DiegoLa Jolla · Public+72%10West Coast University-OntarioOntario · Private for-profit+68%
TOP 10 · VALUE

Most earnings per price dollar

Observed five-year earnings divided by annual average net price.

1California State University, Los AngelesLos Angeles · Public15.1×2California State University, San BernardinoSan Bernardino · Public12.4×3California State University, BakersfieldBakersfield · Public10.9×4Foothill CollegeLos Altos Hills · Public10.3×5California State University, StanislausTurlock · Public10.0×6Stanford UniversityStanford · Private nonprofit9.6×7California State University, FullertonFullerton · Public9.6×8California State University, FresnoFresno · Public8.6×9California State University, NorthridgeNorthridge · Public8.6×10California Institute of TechnologyPasadena · Private nonprofit8.5×
LOW DEBT · SOLID COMPLETION

Where completer borrowers leave with less federal debt

Limited to currently operating colleges with at least 500 students and a completion rate at or above the California median among debt-reporting colleges.

1De Anza CollegeCupertino · Public$5,625median federal debt68%college completion2Advanced Career InstituteVisalia · Private for-profit$6,331median federal debt81%college completion3Contra Costa Medical Career CollegeAntioch · Private for-profit$6,333median federal debt100%college completion4Milan Institute-ClovisClovis · Private for-profit$6,333median federal debt63%college completion5Institute of Culinary EducationPasadena · Private for-profit$6,439median federal debt77%college completion6Central Coast CollegeSalinas · Private for-profit$7,476median federal debt67%college completion7Summit CollegeSan Bernardino · Private for-profit$7,600median federal debt62%college completion8Institute for Business and TechnologySan Jose · Private for-profit$7,853median federal debt84%college completion9National Career EducationCitrus Heights · Private for-profit$7,853median federal debt83%college completion10MTI CollegeSacramento · Private for-profit$8,836median federal debt77%college completion
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. This view does not rank ROI or guarantee affordability.
ALL COLLEGES IN CA

Browse the full California directory

664 matching colleges · page 5 of 27

CollegeEarningsNet priceFederal debt10-year ROI
Career Development Institute IncLos Angeles · Private for-profit$60,543$25,919$16,873−45%California State University, Dominguez HillsCarson · Public$56,700$8,615$13,807−45%City College of San FranciscoSan Francisco · Public$56,266$6,906$8,218−46%American River CollegeSacramento · Public$56,189$7,999$9,625−47%Point Loma Nazarene UniversitySan Diego · Private nonprofit$62,384$38,729$22,990−48%Coastline Community CollegeFountain Valley · Public$57,681$16,341$8,250−48%Southern California Institute of TechnologyAnaheim · Private for-profit$60,942$33,392$10,798−49%Vanguard University of Southern CaliforniaCosta Mesa · Private nonprofit$58,441$21,241$22,000−49%Spartan College of Aeronautics and TechnologyRiverside · Private for-profit$60,579$32,601$20,000−50%Solano Community CollegeFairfield · Public$54,959$4,669$12,000−50%Spartan College of Aeronautics & TechnologyInglewood · Private for-profit$60,579$33,320$20,000−50%Integrity College of HealthPasadena · Private for-profit$56,891$14,819$13,194−50%Columbia CollegeSonora · Public$55,812$11,316Not available−52%Saddleback CollegeMission Viejo · Public$54,295$4,152$9,500−53%Otis College of Art and DesignLos Angeles · Private nonprofit$62,485$51,248$27,000−55%Whittier CollegeWhittier · Private nonprofit$57,770$25,757$24,937−55%Aviation Institute of Maintenance-FremontFremont · Private for-profit$58,427$29,428$31,786−55%Monterey Peninsula CollegeMonterey · Public$55,075$11,373Not available−55%Santa Barbara City CollegeSanta Barbara · Public$54,220$11,315$11,000−59%Las Positas CollegeLivermore · Public$53,212$5,377Not available−59%Long Beach City CollegeLong Beach · Public$53,345$6,202$10,500−59%College of MarinKentfield · Public$54,326$12,351$10,062−59%Stanbridge UniversityIrvine · Private for-profit$59,120$45,372$20,000−61%Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga · Public$52,671$5,672Not available−62%Smith Chason CollegeLos Angeles · Private for-profit$56,808$34,367$21,397−63%

The directory includes every College Scorecard institution assigned to California, including online-only colleges at their federal administrative location and historical records marked as not currently operating. Online-only colleges are labeled and excluded from state top-10 lists because their students are not confined to that state. “Not available” means a required federal value was missing or suppressed. Top-10 ROI eligibility requires current operating status, a reported bachelor’s-level program, at least 500 students, observed earnings and average net price of at least $1,000.