The Cheapest Colleges in California by In State Tuition for 2022
If you're looking for an affordable university and you are a resident of California these are the least expensive in state colleges to consider.
Affordable doesn't simply mean finding a school with a low published in state tuition. It's important to research the typical financial aid package offered by a school, the average net price actually paid and most importantly the quality of education you receive for your tuition dollar. Sometimes a school which appears cheap based on list price can be a poor relative value if it can't award competitive financial aid or doesn't offer a quality education. The list below is a ranking on published in state tuition with no consideration of actual average price paid or academic quality of the school. Please see the CollegeCalc best value colleges in California list for a ranking which considers school quality and average net price.
The most affordable four year colleges in California are listed by one year's in state tuition list price for the 2020/2021 school year.
What is the cheapest college in California? Leading the colleges list is Taft University System in Santa Ana with an in state tuition of $3,292.
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 2020/2021 IPEDS Survey and reflect reported costs for the 2020/2021 academic year.
| College | In State Tuition | Rating | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
#21 San Jose State UniversitySan Jose, Public Not For Profit |
$5,742 | 54 | 37 |
#22 Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, Public Not For Profit |
$5,742 | 45 | 23 |
#23 California State University San MarcosSan Marcos, Public Not For Profit |
$5,742 | 41 | 30 |
#24 California State University Monterey BaySeaside, Public Not For Profit |
$5,742 | 38 | 23 |
#25 California State University Channel IslandsCamarillo, Public Not For Profit |
$5,742 | NA | NA |
#26 World Mission UniversityLos Angeles, Private Not For Profit |
$6,240 | NA | NA |
#27 Bethesda University of CaliforniaAnaheim, Private Not For Profit |
$6,360 | NA | NA |
#28 The National Hispanic UniversitySan Jose, Private For Profit |
$7,896 | NA | NA |
#29 Patten UniversityOakland, Private Not For Profit |
$8,036 | NA | NA |
#30 Epic Bible CollegeSacramento, Private Not For Profit |
$8,964 | NA | NA |
#31 Horizon College San DiegoSan Diego, Private Not For Profit |
$9,000 | NA | NA |
#32 Trident University InternationalCypress, Private For Profit |
$9,240 | NA | NA |
#33 California Christian CollegeFresno, Private Not For Profit |
$9,360 | NA | NA |
#34 Pacific College of Oriental Medicine LLC San DiegoSan Diego, Private For Profit |
$9,571 | NA | NA |
#35 SUM Bible College and Theological SeminaryOakland, Private Not For Profit |
$9,600 | NA | NA |
#36 University of Phoenix San Diego CampusSan Diego, Private For Profit |
$10,515 | NA | NA |
#37 University of Phoenix Sacramento Valley CampusSacramento, Private For Profit |
$10,543 | NA | NA |
#38 University of Phoenix Bay Area CampusSan Jose, Private For Profit |
$10,548 | NA | NA |
#39 University of Phoenix Central Valley CampusFresno, Private For Profit |
$10,549 | NA | NA |
#40 University of Phoenix Southern California CampusCosta Mesa, Private For Profit |
$10,560 | NA | NA |