The Cheapest Colleges in California by Out of State Tuition for 2023
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.
| College | Out of State Tuition | Rating | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
#21 Shasta Bible College and Graduate SchoolRedding, Private Not For Profit |
$12,000 | NA | NA |
#22 University of the WestRosemead, Private Not For Profit |
$12,528 | NA | NA |
#23 National UniversityLa Jolla, Private Not For Profit |
$13,320 | NA | NA |
#24 Mt Sierra CollegeMonrovia, Private For Profit |
$14,220 | NA | NA |
#25 Touro College Los AngelesLos Angeles, Private Not For Profit |
$14,400 | NA | NA |
#26 Charles R Drew University of Medicine and ScienceLos Angeles, Private Not For Profit |
$14,424 | NA | NA |
#27 King's UniversityVan Nuys, Private Not For Profit |
$14,550 | NA | NA |
#28 Humphreys College Stockton and Modesto CampusesStockton, Private Not For Profit |
$14,580 | NA | NA |
#29 Dell'Arte International School of Physical TheatreBlue Lake, Private Not For Profit |
$14,600 | NA | NA |
#30 Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical SeminaryLos Angeles, Private Not For Profit |
$15,000 | NA | NA |
#31 Platt College Los AngelesAlhambra, Private For Profit |
$15,014 | NA | NA |
#32 Platt College OntarioOntario, Private For Profit |
$15,014 | NA | NA |
#33 Santa Barbara Business College VenturaVentura, Private For Profit |
$15,030 | NA | NA |
#34 DeVry University CaliforniaPomona, Private For Profit |
$15,835 | NA | NA |
#35 Platt College San DiegoSan Diego, Private For Profit |
$16,250 | NA | NA |
#36 Southern California SeminaryEl Cajon, Private Not For Profit |
$16,380 | NA | NA |
#37 Southern California Institute of TechnologyAnaheim, Private For Profit |
$16,590 | NA | NA |
#38 San Diego State University Imperial Valley CampusCalexico, Public Not For Profit |
$16,632 | NA | NA |
#39 Life Pacific CollegeSan Dimas, Private Not For Profit |
$17,400 | 35 | 5 |
#40 California Polytechnic State University San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo, Public Not For Profit |
$17,622 | 74 | 48 |