Ranking

Cheapest Colleges in California 2026

The lowest-net-price colleges in California that report federal earnings.

Schools ranked: 25
Cheapest net price: $32
Top earnings 10y: $59,977
Public / Private: 24 / 1

Canada College

Redwood City, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $32
Net price: $32
Earnings 10y: $50,087
Acceptance: Open / not reported

College of San Mateo

San Mateo, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $536
Net price: $536
Earnings 10y: $54,172
Acceptance: Open / not reported

San Diego Christian College

Santee, CA · Private Non-Profit

Net price/yr: $992
Net price: $992
Earnings 10y: $49,766
Acceptance: 30.8%

Imperial Valley College

Imperial, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $1,115
Net price: $1,115
Earnings 10y: $34,487
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Skyline College

San Bruno, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $1,738
Net price: $1,738
Earnings 10y: $55,702
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Victor Valley College

Victorville, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $1,947
Net price: $1,947
Earnings 10y: $36,119
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Hartnell College

Salinas, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $2,039
Net price: $2,039
Earnings 10y: $44,316
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Irvine Valley College

Irvine, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $2,090
Net price: $2,090
Earnings 10y: $49,156
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Santiago Canyon College

Orange, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $2,129
Net price: $2,129
Earnings 10y: $44,956
Acceptance: Open / not reported

San Joaquin Delta College

Stockton, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $2,407
Net price: $2,407
Earnings 10y: $43,212
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Yuba College

Marysville, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $2,576
Net price: $2,576
Earnings 10y: $39,552
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Santa Monica College

Santa Monica, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $2,779
Net price: $2,779
Earnings 10y: $42,193
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Modesto Junior College

Modesto, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $2,818
Net price: $2,818
Earnings 10y: $42,368
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Taft College

Taft, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $2,823
Net price: $2,823
Earnings 10y: $38,861
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Shasta College

Redding, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $2,878
Net price: $2,878
Earnings 10y: $39,269
Acceptance: Open / not reported

San Diego Miramar College

San Diego, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $3,337
Net price: $3,337
Earnings 10y: $48,224
Acceptance: Open / not reported

West Valley College

Saratoga, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $3,423
Net price: $3,423
Earnings 10y: $51,688
Acceptance: Open / not reported

College of the Canyons

Santa Clarita, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $3,702
Net price: $3,702
Earnings 10y: $49,022
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Antelope Valley Community College District

Lancaster, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $3,860
Net price: $3,860
Earnings 10y: $36,526
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Pasadena City College

Pasadena, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $3,864
Net price: $3,864
Earnings 10y: $43,937
Acceptance: Open / not reported

California State University-Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $3,967
Net price: $3,967
Earnings 10y: $59,211
Acceptance: 91.3%

Saddleback College

Mission Viejo, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $4,152
Net price: $4,152
Earnings 10y: $50,874
Acceptance: Open / not reported

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $4,564
Net price: $4,564
Earnings 10y: $59,977
Acceptance: 93.7%

Solano Community College

Fairfield, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $4,669
Net price: $4,669
Earnings 10y: $44,170
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Golden West College

Huntington Beach, CA · Public

Net price/yr: $4,824
Net price: $4,824
Earnings 10y: $43,145
Acceptance: Open / not reported

How we picked this list

This list starts with California colleges, removes schools without usable net-price data, then sorts from lowest average net price upward. The set's average EduGradify ROI score is 207.76 (24 public, 1 private).

Every figure comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. See our full methodology for the formulas.

Related lists

All EduGradify rankings → All California colleges → Highest ROI colleges nationwide → Cheapest US colleges →

FAQ

Who leads this ranking?

Canada College in Redwood City, CA tops this ranking. Average net price is $32 per year.

How does EduGradify pick this list?

We rank this set by net price/yr using the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — see our methodology for the full formula. No paid placements, no surveys.

How many California colleges are in this list?

213 California colleges qualified for this ranking based on available federal data.

What does net price mean here?

Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — not the sticker price. It is reported by each college to the U.S. Department of Education.