What do private nonprofit colleges in California cost?

Across the 67 schools that report it, the median average net price is $28,219 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $3,148 at Grace Mission University to $50,943 at Otis College of Art and Design.

Which private nonprofit colleges in California have the lowest average net price?

By reported average net price: Grace Mission University ($3,148), California Institute of Technology ($8,509), Oak Valley College ($10,656), Bethesda University ($10,963), and Stanford University ($12,307).

How much do former students of private nonprofit colleges in California earn?

At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $70,398 10 years after starting college (78 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at California Institute of Technology ($166,642), Harvey Mudd College ($164,248), and Samuel Merritt University ($151,150).

What is the graduation rate at private nonprofit colleges in California?

The median graduation rate is 63.0%, across 71 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.

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

The median institution's graduates leave with $21,500 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Private nonprofit colleges in California

The College Scorecard lists 130 private nonprofit colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in California, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 171,511 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $28,219 a year, higher than the $22,971 median for private nonprofit colleges nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $70,398 at the median institution, higher than the $59,082 median for private nonprofit colleges nationwide. The median graduation rate is 63.0%.

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

Schools

130

Undergraduatesi

171,511

Median net pricei

$28,219

U.S.: $22,971

Median earnings, 10 yrsi

$70,398

U.S.: $59,082

Median debti

$21,500

U.S.: $23,250

Median grad ratei

63.0%

U.S.: 57.7%

Compare all private nonprofit 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.

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for California. Showing 62 of 130 private nonprofit colleges in California; schools missing either value are left out.

All 130 private nonprofit colleges in California


University of the People Pasadena	22,688	n/a	$1,400	n/a	n/a	36.3%	n/a	n/a
University of Southern California Los Angeles	20,443	$33,056	$75,162	$103,420	$17,000	90.2%	95.9%	9.8%
National University San Diego	10,794	$24,008	$13,284	$73,988	$25,000	42.9%	52.6%	n/a
California Baptist University Riverside	8,179	$24,138	$42,788	$67,633	$25,000	59.9%	74.4%	84.9%
Stanford University Stanford	7,554	$12,307	$68,544	$125,340	$10,750	91.6%	98.2%	3.6%
Chapman University Orange	7,478	$46,708	$67,894	$80,694	$19,500	82.9%	91.8%	65.4%
Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles	7,094	$50,518	$65,857	$86,034	$19,500	78.8%	88.6%	45.1%
Santa Clara University Santa Clara	6,552	$36,116	$63,513	$117,193	$19,500	87.3%	93.9%	48.0%
University of San Diego San Diego	5,671	$29,539	$62,420	$93,069	$21,250	81.1%	91.4%	52.4%
University of San Francisco San Francisco	5,287	$30,496	$62,462	$94,613	$22,956	66.2%	83.7%	61.7%
Pepperdine University Malibu	3,553	$48,065	$72,672	$89,410	$21,500	78.4%	87.6%	62.9%
Biola University La Mirada	3,474	$32,530	$50,904	$64,126	$22,250	68.5%	83.9%	74.4%
University of the Pacific Stockton	3,204	$24,186	$58,844	$88,053	$18,500	73.0%	88.5%	71.3%
Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego	3,188	$40,555	$48,450	$68,713	$21,895	77.1%	85.5%	83.7%
University of La Verne La Verne	3,050	$20,523	$49,550	$74,115	$23,250	61.2%	64.5%	71.2%
Azusa Pacific University Azusa	2,759	$22,597	$45,340	$71,595	$22,000	63.0%	84.0%	88.4%
California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks	2,296	$26,445	$54,480	$77,620	$21,000	69.3%	78.8%	75.7%
University of Redlands Redlands	2,049	$30,924	$62,682	$80,659	$25,000	64.5%	84.0%	82.7%
Art Center College of Design Pasadena	2,017	$48,389	$56,308	$75,975	$27,651	80.9%	85.9%	74.5%
Saint Mary's College of California Moraga	1,947	$32,200	$59,769	$83,501	$22,500	66.6%	85.4%	86.5%
Reach University Oakland	1,946	$22,412	$12,374	n/a	n/a	n/a	80.5%	100.0%
Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa	1,933	$23,231	$43,400	$62,456	$20,500	55.1%	70.1%	62.4%
Occidental College Los Angeles	1,877	$37,470	$68,704	$79,660	$21,500	79.2%	89.8%	44.2%
Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles	1,719	$27,235	$51,052	$78,572	$25,000	56.4%	71.1%	73.1%
Pomona College Claremont	1,666	$18,978	$68,670	$84,281	$14,000	92.1%	97.5%	7.1%
The Master's University and Seminary Santa Clarita	1,622	$33,777	$40,910	$58,794	$20,500	58.4%	84.7%	84.0%
Fresno Pacific University Fresno	1,544	$17,491	$37,760	$66,140	$24,250	49.4%	71.6%	64.1%
Concordia University-Irvine Irvine	1,536	$29,761	$44,500	$72,184	$21,500	47.4%	74.8%	66.0%
Los Angeles Pacific University San Dimas	1,483	$28,427	$12,840	n/a	$28,347	28.1%	57.1%	n/a
Claremont McKenna College Claremont	1,388	$26,039	$72,120	$127,532	$13,450	89.9%	98.1%	9.6%
Westmont College Santa Barbara	1,302	$29,343	$55,724	$70,327	$21,609	67.9%	85.0%	77.0%
William Jessup University Rocklin	1,294	$26,418	$37,150	$60,855	$20,450	47.9%	76.9%	93.3%
Pitzer College Claremont	1,227	$36,135	$67,792	$72,270	$15,625	83.3%	93.8%	25.2%
Otis College of Art and Design Los Angeles	1,223	$50,943	$58,143	$70,469	$26,500	58.0%	74.5%	81.8%
La Sierra University Riverside	1,116	$22,767	$38,862	$65,403	$25,500	51.9%	77.3%	91.5%
Dominican University of California San Rafael	1,114	$35,567	$53,700	$90,053	$23,250	73.2%	85.5%	83.5%
Scripps College Claremont	1,113	$29,998	$68,532	$84,025	$13,500	84.5%	93.8%	38.3%
California College of the Arts San Francisco	990	$41,109	$61,764	$58,957	$23,917	63.7%	86.7%	91.1%
California Institute of Technology Pasadena	987	$8,509	$68,208	$166,642	$7,500	89.8%	97.4%	2.6%
Harvey Mudd College Claremont	921	$39,347	$73,100	$164,248	$25,000	93.3%	96.4%	12.7%
Loma Linda University Loma Linda	909	$25,018	$21,032	$99,540	$21,500	n/a	n/a	n/a
California Institute of the Arts Valencia	860	$49,996	$61,354	$45,380	$24,000	62.5%	82.4%	32.3%
Simpson University Redding	809	$28,219	$40,880	$62,250	$18,250	34.6%	60.4%	86.0%
Woodbury University Burbank	779	$44,337	$48,629	$65,896	$27,000	44.5%	74.0%	81.7%
Whittier College Whittier	764	$24,940	$52,877	$68,254	$20,000	55.4%	66.2%	80.8%
Menlo College Atherton	752	$32,324	$56,320	$76,858	$21,063	51.6%	69.9%	68.5%
Laguna College of Art and Design Laguna Beach	746	$50,349	$39,376	$49,168	$27,000	60.5%	84.2%	94.3%
Samuel Merritt University Oakland	718	n/a	n/a	$151,150	$20,825	n/a	n/a	n/a
Minerva University San Francisco	637	n/a	$26,800	n/a	n/a	93.1%	98.0%	3.0%
Thomas Aquinas College Santa Paula	566	$30,972	$31,000	$59,595	$19,000	83.5%	91.6%	83.1%

Showing 50 of 130. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: private nonprofit colleges in California

How many private nonprofit colleges are in California?: The College Scorecard lists 130 private nonprofit colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in California.
What do private nonprofit colleges in California cost?: Across the 67 schools that report it, the median average net price is $28,219 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $3,148 at Grace Mission University to $50,943 at Otis College of Art and Design.
Which private nonprofit colleges in California have the lowest average net price?: By reported average net price: Grace Mission University ($3,148), California Institute of Technology ($8,509), Oak Valley College ($10,656), Bethesda University ($10,963), and Stanford University ($12,307).
How much do former students of private nonprofit colleges in California earn?: At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $70,398 10 years after starting college (78 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at California Institute of Technology ($166,642), Harvey Mudd College ($164,248), and Samuel Merritt University ($151,150).
What is the graduation rate at private nonprofit colleges in California?: The median graduation rate is 63.0%, across 71 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of private nonprofit colleges in California have?: The median institution's graduates leave with $21,500 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

Keep comparing

Other college types in California

Private nonprofit colleges in other states

How these numbers work

This page includes private nonprofit colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher, 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.