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Community-college tuition in California

Published in-state tuition for community colleges in California, ranked highest to lowest. Use this as a quick reference for comparing the published price tag across institutions; for a full picture of what you'll actually pay, see each college's profile and our cost-and-aid guide for California.

  1. Sri Sai Krish InstituteORANGE, CA$64,500
  2. American Academy of Dramatic Arts-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA$40,650
  3. FIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & MerchandisingLos Angeles, CA$35,000
  4. Theatre of ArtsHollywood, CA$21,830
  5. Interior Designers InstituteNewport Beach, CA$20,250
  6. Smith Chason CollegeLos Angeles, CA$19,040
  7. Professional Golfers Career CollegeTemecula, CA$18,840
  8. Platt College-AnaheimAnaheim, CA$14,922
  9. Platt College-Los AngelesAlhambra, CA$14,922
  10. Platt College-OntarioOntario, CA$14,922
  11. Platt College-RiversideRiverside, CA$14,922
  12. Latin American Bible InstituteLa Puente, CA$14,050
  13. Young Americans College of the Performing ArtsCorona, CA$14,030
  14. California Indian Nations CollegePalm Desert, CA$7,743
  15. De Anza CollegeCupertino, CA$1,571
  16. College of MarinKentfield, CA$1,558
  17. Gavilan CollegeGilroy, CA$1,508
  18. Feather River Community College DistrictQuincy, CA$1,465
  19. Mt San Jacinto Community College DistrictSan Jacinto, CA$1,448
  20. Sierra CollegeRocklin, CA$1,446
  21. College of the SiskiyousWeed, CA$1,444
  22. Mission CollegeSanta Clara, CA$1,438
  23. Porterville CollegePorterville, CA$1,438
  24. Bakersfield CollegeBakersfield, CA$1,430
  25. Moreno Valley CollegeMoreno Valley, CA$1,428
  26. Norco CollegeNorco, CA$1,428
  27. Riverside City CollegeRiverside, CA$1,428
  28. Moorpark CollegeMoorpark, CA$1,426
  29. Oxnard CollegeOxnard, CA$1,426
  30. Ventura CollegeVentura, CA$1,426
  31. Mendocino CollegeUkiah, CA$1,423
  32. Hartnell CollegeSalinas, CA$1,404
  33. University of the PeoplePasadena, CA$1,400
  34. College of the SequoiasVisalia, CA$1,394
  35. Copper Mountain Community CollegeJoshua Tree, CA$1,390
  36. Rio Hondo CollegeWhittier, CA$1,388
  37. Cerro Coso Community CollegeRidgecrest, CA$1,384
  38. Lemoore CollegeLemoore, CA$1,384
  39. Golden West CollegeHuntington Beach, CA$1,380
  40. Clovis Community CollegeFresno, CA$1,378
  41. Madera Community CollegeMadera, CA$1,378
  42. Evergreen Valley CollegeSan Jose, CA$1,366
  43. San Jose City CollegeSan Jose, CA$1,366
  44. Coastline Community CollegeFountain Valley, CA$1,364
  45. Mt San Antonio CollegeWalnut, CA$1,364
  46. Cuyamaca CollegeEl Cajon, CA$1,346
  47. Southwestern CollegeChula Vista, CA$1,344
  48. Fresno City CollegeFresno, CA$1,334
  49. Canada CollegeRedwood City, CA$1,332
  50. College of San MateoSan Mateo, CA$1,332

How to read this table

The published rate is what the institution charges before financial aid is applied. California community colleges are funded through a combination of state appropriations, local tax support (in many states), and student tuition; the public colleges on this list are required to publish their tuition schedules and report them annually to the U.S. Department of Education. Private nonprofit and private for-profit two-year colleges in California report similarly but may not benefit from state subsidy, which is why their tuition rates can be substantially higher.

Tuition alone is the smallest component of a community-college cost decision for most students. The full annual cost of attendance — including required fees, books, supplies, transportation, and (when applicable) room and board — is consistently several times the tuition figure shown here. Federal Pell Grants, state grant programs in California, and institutional aid typically reduce the out-of-pocket cost dramatically, often to zero for the lowest-income students. Always file the FAFSA before you decide which community college is most affordable for you personally; the answer based on real cost is frequently different from the answer based on sticker price.

If you are not a California resident, expect a meaningfully higher tuition rate at most public community colleges in the state. Out-of-state tuition is reported on each college's full profile.