What do community colleges in California cost?

Across the 82 schools that report it, the median average net price is $7,202 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $85 at Antelope Valley Community College District to $35,126 at Monterey Peninsula College.

Which community colleges in California have the lowest average net price?

By reported average net price: Antelope Valley Community College District ($85), College of Alameda ($294), Canada College ($365), Skyline College ($616), and Yuba College ($691).

How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at community colleges in California?

The median published in-state tuition is $1,258 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $10,870. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.

How much do former students of community colleges in California earn?

At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $47,028 10 years after starting college (87 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health ($121,652), Skyline College ($62,578), and De Anza College ($62,175).

What is the graduation rate at community colleges in California?

The median graduation rate is 40.2%, across 88 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.

How much student debt do graduates of community colleges in California have?

The median institution's graduates leave with $10,500 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Community colleges in California

The College Scorecard lists 90 public colleges that mostly award associate degrees in California, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 829,752 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $7,202 a year, about the same as the $7,415 median for community colleges nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $47,028 at the median institution, higher than the $44,632 median for community colleges nationwide. The median graduation rate is 40.2%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Schools

Undergraduatesi

829,752

Median net pricei

$7,202

U.S.: $7,415

Median earnings, 10 yrsi

$47,028

U.S.: $44,632

Median debti

$10,500

U.S.: $10,500

Median grad ratei

40.2%

U.S.: 34.4%

Compare all community colleges in California on one chart

Pick any two measures. Hover a dot to see the school; click it to open the school's page.

AcrossUpShow all U.S. community colleges in gray

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for California. Showing 80 of 90 community colleges in California; schools missing either value are left out.

All 90 community colleges in California


Mt San Antonio College Walnut	26,140	$1,676	$1,364	$11,136	$49,600	$10,000	45.2%	76.9%
American River College Sacramento	25,621	$5,730	$1,288	$12,472	$44,544	$16,189	38.9%	72.0%
Pasadena City College Pasadena	21,466	$16,993	$1,180	$11,380	$47,494	$10,500	47.5%	76.0%
Santa Monica College Santa Monica	21,440	$1,693	$1,158	$10,710	$46,589	n/a	22.9%	n/a
El Camino Community College District Torrance	19,210	$13,761	$1,156	$9,436	$47,561	n/a	39.9%	73.3%
Southwestern College Chula Vista	18,614	$5,663	$1,356	$12,360	$47,535	$7,244	39.4%	70.0%
Riverside City College Riverside	18,346	$24,678	$1,428	$12,498	$44,956	$9,000	40.7%	70.3%
Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga	18,132	$24,504	$1,184	$11,120	$45,674	n/a	33.7%	69.3%
Saddleback College Mission Viejo	17,684	$23,913	$1,156	$11,956	$51,222	$10,500	50.7%	77.1%
Sacramento City College Sacramento	17,657	$5,713	$1,288	$12,472	$45,109	$14,500	34.4%	69.0%
Bakersfield College Bakersfield	17,280	$4,330	$1,450	$11,530	$41,011	$9,914	19.8%	n/a
Fullerton College Fullerton	17,121	$1,302	$1,150	$13,279	$49,216	$9,000	41.6%	72.0%
San Diego Mesa College San Diego	16,098	$21,767	$1,154	$10,010	$50,947	$5,225	42.4%	n/a
College of the Canyons Santa Clarita	15,832	$19,542	$1,170	$10,938	$52,411	$6,649	43.0%	70.1%
San Joaquin Delta College Stockton	15,781	$2,451	$1,180	$9,772	$46,256	$5,250	33.6%	68.4%
Diablo Valley College Pleasant Hill	15,358	$710	$1,128	$9,216	$56,684	$10,500	54.8%	76.4%
De Anza College Cupertino	15,264	$3,801	$1,577	$12,782	$62,175	$10,500	66.6%	76.4%
Mt San Jacinto Community College District San Jacinto	15,259	$8,198	$1,451	$12,581	$43,175	$9,975	39.8%	63.1%
Modesto Junior College Modesto	15,109	$5,954	$1,276	$8,918	$45,551	n/a	28.8%	71.4%
Sierra College Rocklin	14,122	$27,774	$1,448	$1,448	$48,499	n/a	43.5%	72.3%
Cosumnes River College Sacramento	14,023	$3,676	$1,288	$12,472	$46,541	$14,875	42.6%	73.5%
Los Angeles Pierce College Woodland Hills	13,436	$3,150	$1,238	$11,040	$47,028	$16,612	47.2%	76.4%
San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino	12,234	$17,782	$1,185	$11,121	$43,912	n/a	32.3%	81.1%
Grossmont College El Cajon	12,163	$3,900	$1,332	$10,628	$45,404	$10,125	38.8%	71.2%
Moorpark College Moorpark	12,082	n/a	$1,416	$11,598	$52,317	$9,625	41.5%	n/a
Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster	11,534	$85	$1,124	$9,548	$39,944	$18,507	33.0%	n/a
San Diego Miramar College San Diego	11,271	$21,008	$1,154	$10,010	$53,737	$6,750	40.0%	72.5%
Los Angeles City College Los Angeles	11,198	$4,875	$1,238	$11,040	$42,194	$14,250	32.0%	66.8%
Santiago Canyon College Orange	10,579	$2,040	$1,160	$11,384	$52,421	n/a	47.6%	70.7%
Glendale Community College Glendale	10,509	$9,554	$1,195	$10,939	$46,476	n/a	41.3%	72.7%
San Diego City College San Diego	10,441	$18,693	$1,154	$10,010	$44,127	$10,500	23.7%	60.9%
Irvine Valley College Irvine	10,286	$21,874	$1,156	$11,956	$53,719	$8,000	57.7%	79.1%
MiraCosta College Oceanside	10,278	$5,146	$1,158	$9,750	$49,887	n/a	40.5%	90.9%
Ventura College Ventura	10,150	n/a	$1,416	$11,598	$46,592	$13,844	41.4%	74.3%
Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara	9,889	$2,684	$1,242	$10,674	$53,616	$12,000	32.4%	65.0%
Hartnell College Salinas	9,453	n/a	$1,404	$10,398	$49,016	n/a	39.4%	73.4%
Folsom Lake College Folsom	9,414	$4,339	$1,288	$12,472	$47,048	$12,500	50.7%	72.9%
Moreno Valley College Moreno Valley	9,346	$26,725	$1,428	$12,498	$45,741	n/a	38.2%	62.0%
Golden West College Huntington Beach	9,034	n/a	$1,202	$11,906	$50,592	$9,000	50.5%	69.9%
Butte College Oroville	8,890	$4,734	$1,374	$9,534	$44,807	$10,000	46.5%	68.4%
Norco College Norco	8,779	$27,120	$1,428	$12,498	$48,582	n/a	39.9%	72.3%
Solano Community College Fairfield	8,061	$2,905	$1,172	$9,812	$47,449	$11,310	33.6%	n/a
Cabrillo College Aptos	8,002	$17,735	$1,270	$10,870	$48,956	$10,500	41.0%	73.4%
Los Angeles Mission College Sylmar	7,999	$3,881	$1,238	$11,040	$45,697	n/a	23.7%	n/a
College of San Mateo San Mateo	7,977	n/a	$1,332	$11,680	$60,507	$10,500	53.3%	72.6%
Clovis Community College Fresno	7,956	$2,122	$1,334	$10,714	n/a	n/a	50.7%	73.1%
Evergreen Valley College San Jose	7,688	$9,375	$1,366	$10,350	$55,874	n/a	44.2%	73.0%
Imperial Valley College Imperial	7,652	$1,562	$1,148	$8,972	$40,691	n/a	45.4%	75.7%
Skyline College San Bruno	7,620	$616	$1,332	$11,384	$62,578	n/a	46.5%	n/a
Coastline Community College Fountain Valley	7,393	$12,259	$1,186	$11,890	$51,338	$9,500	36.5%	42.7%

Showing 50 of 90. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: community colleges in California

How many community colleges are in California?: The College Scorecard lists 90 public colleges that mostly award associate degrees in California.
What do community colleges in California cost?: Across the 82 schools that report it, the median average net price is $7,202 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $85 at Antelope Valley Community College District to $35,126 at Monterey Peninsula College.
Which community colleges in California have the lowest average net price?: By reported average net price: Antelope Valley Community College District ($85), College of Alameda ($294), Canada College ($365), Skyline College ($616), and Yuba College ($691).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at community colleges in California?: The median published in-state tuition is $1,258 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $10,870. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of community colleges in California earn?: At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $47,028 10 years after starting college (87 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health ($121,652), Skyline College ($62,578), and De Anza College ($62,175).
What is the graduation rate at community colleges in California?: The median graduation rate is 40.2%, across 88 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of community colleges in California have?: The median institution's graduates leave with $10,500 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Keep comparing

Other college types in California

Community colleges in other states

How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award associate degrees, as reported in the College Scorecard. Summary figures are medians across schools: each school counts once, whatever its size, and schools that don't report a measure are left out of that measure. The Scorecard reports earnings and debt for a whole institution, so branch campuses share one figure; for those two measures each institution counts once. Most recent data year: cost 2025, graduation and retention 2025, earnings 2022, debt 2024. More on the data.