California Out of State Tuition Ranking

The Cheapest Colleges in California by Out of State Tuition for 2023

Cheapest Colleges in California by Out of State Tuition

If you're looking for an affordable university in California but aren't a state resident, these are the least expensive out of state colleges to consider. Additionally, if you are a foreign citizen and cannot qualify for in-state tuition, these are the cheapest universities in California for international students.

Affordable doesn't simply mean finding a school with a low published out of 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 out of 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 out of state tuition list price for the 2021/2022 school year.

What is the cheapest college in California? Leading the colleges list is Taft University System in Santa Ana with an out of 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 2021/2022 IPEDS Survey and reflect reported costs for the 2021/2022 academic year.

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California's Cheapest Colleges by Out of State Tuition
College Out of State Tuition Rating Value
#1 Taft University System

Santa Ana, Private For Profit

$3,292 NA NA
#2 World Mission University

Los Angeles, Private Not For Profit

$6,240 NA NA
#3 Bethesda University of California

Anaheim, Private Not For Profit

$6,360 NA NA
#4 Pacific States University

Los Angeles, Private Not For Profit

$6,840 NA NA
#5 The National Hispanic University

San Jose, Private For Profit

$7,896 NA NA
#6 Epic Bible College

Sacramento, Private Not For Profit

$8,964 NA NA
#7 Horizon College San Diego

San Diego, Private Not For Profit

$9,000 NA NA
#8 Trident University International

Cypress, Private For Profit

$9,240 NA NA
#9 California Christian College

Fresno, Private Not For Profit

$9,600 NA NA
#10 SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary

Oakland, Private Not For Profit

$9,600 NA NA
#11 Pacific College of Oriental Medicine LLC San Diego

San Diego, Private For Profit

$9,606 NA NA
#12 University of Phoenix San Diego Campus

San Diego, Private For Profit

$10,515 NA NA
#13 University of Phoenix Sacramento Valley Campus

Sacramento, Private For Profit

$10,543 NA NA
#14 University of Phoenix Bay Area Campus

San Jose, Private For Profit

$10,548 NA NA
#15 University of Phoenix Central Valley Campus

Fresno, Private For Profit

$10,549 NA NA
#16 University of Phoenix Southern California Campus

Costa Mesa, Private For Profit

$10,560 NA NA
#17 Azusa Pacific Online University

Glendora, Private Not For Profit

$10,800 NA NA
#18 Lincoln University

Oakland, Private Not For Profit

$10,920 NA NA
#19 Santa Barbara Business College Bakersfield

Bakersfield, Private For Profit

$11,558 NA NA
#20 Santa Barbara Business College Santa Maria

Santa Maria, Private For Profit

$11,558 NA NA