The Best Value Colleges in California by Academic Quality per Dollar for 2023
These are the California schools which appear on CollegeCalc's Best Value Colleges in America ranking and represent the colleges providing the finest education balanced against an affordable average net price. The best value in California ranking goes to Stanford University with a 99th percentile national academic rank for a comparatively affordable $20,023 average net price.
Academic Rating is a CollegeCalc rating of a college's overall academics and effectiveness. The score ranges from zero to one hundred, with fifty being the median for all eligible colleges. Dollar value is a measure of a school's academic rating compared with the average price paid by students. Colleges which are ranked "n/a" didn't report sufficient data to formulate a score. Learn more about our rating methodology.
All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's 2021/2022 IPEDS Survey and reflect reported costs for the 2021/2022 academic year.
College | Net Price | Rating | Value |
---|---|---|---|
#1 Stanford UniversityStanford, Private Not For Profit |
$20,023 | 99 | 99 |
#2 Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, Private Not For Profit |
$22,004 | 96 | 99 |
#3 California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, Private Not For Profit |
$26,591 | 98 | 97 |
#4 Pomona CollegeClaremont, Private Not For Profit |
$30,392 | 96 | 96 |
#5 University of California IrvineIrvine, Public Not For Profit |
$13,106 | 81 | 95 |
#6 University of California San DiegoLa Jolla, Public Not For Profit |
$15,222 | 82 | 94 |
#7 University of California DavisDavis, Public Not For Profit |
$17,026 | 80 | 94 |
#8 University of California BerkeleyBerkeley, Public Not For Profit |
$19,329 | 85 | 94 |
#9 University of California Los AngelesLos Angeles, Public Not For Profit |
$16,474 | 86 | 94 |
#10 University of California Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, Public Not For Profit |
$17,223 | 79 | 94 |
#11 University of California RiversideRiverside, Public Not For Profit |
$11,948 | 66 | 89 |
#12 University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, Private Not For Profit |
$39,759 | 92 | 90 |
#13 Scripps CollegeClaremont, Private Not For Profit |
$40,259 | 89 | 84 |
#14 University of California Santa CruzSanta Cruz, Public Not For Profit |
$17,842 | 68 | 81 |
#15 University of the PacificStockton, Private Not For Profit |
$32,780 | 76 | 82 |
#16 Westmont CollegeSanta Barbara, Private Not For Profit |
$32,418 | 74 | 82 |
#17 Occidental CollegeLos Angeles, Private Not For Profit |
$41,102 | 84 | 77 |
#18 University of RedlandsRedlands, Private Not For Profit |
$30,240 | 66 | 77 |
#19 Chapman UniversityOrange, Private Not For Profit |
$44,327 | 80 | 57 |
#20 Biola UniversityLa Mirada, Private Not For Profit |
$34,713 | 66 | 50 |