How Much Does Community College Cost In California
Last Updated on August 12, 2023 by Oluwajuwon Alvina
The following article discusses what you must know about best community colleges in California, average cost of community college, amongst others. Read this article to find out what information you need.
You will also discover related posts on how to apply for free community college in California, free community college California, community college tuition, how much does community college cost for 2 years, and so much more right here on Collegelearners.
California Community Colleges By Tuition Cost
How much does it cost to attend community college in California? The average annual in-state two year college tuition in California was $3,970 for the 2019-2020 academic year. This is a change of $1,331 from the 2018-2019 average of $2,639 and represents a 50.44% annual increase. The list of California community colleges below provides school specific cost and value rating. Community colleges, also known as junior colleges, provide an excellent money saving opportunity for those concerned with college costs. Many students are choosing to begin their education at community colleges for two years, taking advantage of their lower cost.
Then after two years transferring to a full four year institution to pursue a full bachelors degree or higher. Most community colleges also have the benefit of open admission policies. Our guide surveyed tuition data from the 113 community colleges and universities in California, the most popular being Santa Monica College with 11,035 full time students and an in-state tuition list price of $1,104. East San Gabriel Valley Regional Occupational Program is the most expensive community school in California with an in-state tuition of $3,700.
- For California community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $1,636 per year for in-state students and $6,797 for out-of-state students (2020-21).
- For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $19,157 per year.
- The community college with the highest tuition in California is Marymount California University, with a tuition of $35,158.
- The community college with the lowest tuition is San Bernardino Valley College, with a tuition of $2,829.
The average nationwide student loan debt is nearly $30,000, but students who go to the cheapest community college in California and put in the work to get good grades can complete their first two years of college on grants and scholarships, avoiding loans completely. The state of California offers special scholarships to students who start off by going to community colleges. Plus, when applying to four year schools, community college students receive preference in the admissions process. Special financial aid is also available, which means that more often than not, hard working students with good grades can skate by without taking out more than $15,000 in loans.
Explore California Colleges
| School | Tuition | Rating | $Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allan Hancock College Santa Maria, 3,560 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| American River College Sacramento, 6,173 Students | $0 | – | – |
| Antelope Valley College Lancaster, 3,989 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Bakersfield College Bakersfield, 7,351 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Barstow Community College Barstow, 1,186 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Berkeley City College Berkeley, 1,648 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Butte College Oroville, 4,798 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Cabrillo College Aptos, 4,002 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Canada College Redwood City, 999 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Cerritos College Norwalk, 6,566 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Cerro Coso Community College Ridgecrest, 944 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Chabot College Hayward, 3,837 Students | $0 | – | – |
| Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga, 6,370 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Citrus College Glendora, 5,416 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| City College of San Francisco San Francisco, 8,088 Students | $0 | – | – |
| Coastline Community College Fountain Valley, 1,370 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| College of Alameda Alameda, 1,205 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| College of Marin Kentfield, 1,345 Students | $1,380 | – | – |
| College of San Mateo San Mateo, 2,363 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| College of the Canyons Santa Clarita, 6,075 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| College of the Desert Palm Desert, 4,577 Students | $1,297 | – | – |
| College of the Redwoods Eureka, 1,725 Students | $1,143 | – | – |
| College of the Sequoias Visalia, 5,100 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| College of the Siskiyous Weed, 777 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Columbia College Sonora, 699 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Contra Costa College San Pablo, 1,921 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Copper Mountain Community College Joshua Tree, 585 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Cosumnes River College Sacramento, 3,749 Students | $0 | – | – |
| Crafton Hills College Yucaipa, 2,015 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Cuesta College San Luis Obispo, 3,190 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Cuyamaca College El Cajon, 2,241 Students | $1,334 | – | – |
| Cypress College Cypress, 5,096 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| De Anza College Cupertino, 9,210 Students | $1,395 | – | – |
| Diablo Valley College Pleasant Hill, 7,440 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| East Los Angeles College Monterey Park, 7,810 Students | $1,196 | – | – |
| East San Gabriel Valley Regional Occupational Program West Covina, 66 Students | $3,700 | – | – |
| El Camino College Compton Center Compton, 1,328 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| El Camino Community College District Torrance, 7,782 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Evergreen Valley College San Jose, 3,138 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Feather River Community College District Quincy, 554 Students | $1,380 | – | – |
| Folsom Lake College Folsom, 2,464 Students | $0 | – | – |
| Foothill College Los Altos Hills, 4,372 Students | $1,395 | – | – |
| Fresno City College Fresno, 7,719 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Fullerton College Fullerton, 7,225 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Gavilan College Gilroy, 1,775 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Glendale Community College Glendale, 6,519 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Golden West College Huntington Beach, 3,699 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Grossmont College El Cajon, 6,162 Students | $1,334 | – | – |
| Hartnell College Salinas, 3,493 Students | $1,400 | – | – |
| Imperial Valley College Imperial, 4,102 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Irvine Valley College Irvine, 4,831 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Lake Tahoe Community College South Lake Tahoe, 631 Students | $1,209 | – | – |
| Laney College Oakland, 2,613 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Las Positas College Livermore, 2,959 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Lassen Community College Susanville, 539 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Long Beach City College Long Beach, 8,754 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Los Angeles City College Los Angeles, 3,935 Students | $1,196 | – | – |
| Los Angeles Harbor College Wilmington, 2,545 Students | $1,196 | – | – |
| Los Angeles Mission College Sylmar, 2,194 Students | $1,196 | – | – |
| Los Angeles Pierce College Woodland Hills, 5,363 Students | $1,196 | – | – |
| Los Angeles Southwest College Los Angeles, 1,337 Students | $1,196 | – | – |
| Los Angeles Trade Technical College Los Angeles, 3,187 Students | $1,196 | – | – |
| Los Angeles Valley College Valley Glen, 4,115 Students | $1,196 | – | – |
| Los Medanos College Pittsburg, 3,113 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Mendocino College Ukiah, 1,021 Students | $1,380 | – | – |
| Merced College Merced, 4,743 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Merritt College Oakland, 1,626 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| MiraCosta College Oceanside, 5,062 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Mission College Santa Clara, 1,902 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Modesto Junior College Modesto, 5,630 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Monterey Peninsula College Monterey, 2,342 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Moorpark College Moorpark, 5,593 Students | $1,338 | – | – |
| Moreno Valley College Moreno Valley, 2,338 Students | $1,380 | – | – |
| Mt. San Antonio College Walnut, 10,238 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Mt. San Jacinto Community College District San Jacinto, 5,496 Students | $1,380 | – | – |
| Napa Valley College Napa, 2,006 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Norco College Norco, 2,145 Students | $1,380 | – | – |
| Ohlone Community College Fremont, 3,404 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Orange Coast College Costa Mesa, 7,806 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Oxnard College Oxnard, 2,208 Students | $1,338 | – | – |
| Palo Verde College Blythe, 441 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Palomar College San Marcos, 7,682 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Pasadena City College Pasadena, 10,416 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Porterville College Porterville, 1,828 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Reedley College Reedley, 3,319 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Rio Hondo College Whittier, 4,630 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Riverside City College Riverside, 6,210 Students | $1,380 | – | – |
| Sacramento City College Sacramento, 5,318 Students | $0 | – | – |
| Saddleback College Mission Viejo, 5,531 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| San Diego City College San Diego, 3,065 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| San Diego Mesa College San Diego, 5,348 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| San Diego Miramar College San Diego, 2,769 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| San Joaquin Delta College Stockton, 6,296 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| San Jose City College San Jose, 2,162 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Santa Ana College Santa Ana, 5,283 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara, 6,354 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Santa Monica College Santa Monica, 11,035 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa, 6,000 Students | $1,282 | – | – |
| Santiago Canyon College Orange, 3,056 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Shasta College Redding, 3,286 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Sierra College Rocklin, 6,503 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Skyline College San Bruno, 2,357 Students | $1,380 | – | – |
| Solano Community College Fairfield, 2,689 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Southwestern College Chula Vista, 7,004 Students | $1,288 | – | – |
| Taft College Taft, 1,399 Students | $1,410 | – | – |
| Ventura College Ventura, 4,105 Students | $1,338 | – | – |
| Victor Valley College Victorville, 3,889 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| West Hills College Coalinga Coalinga, 981 Students | $1,380 | – | – |
| West Hills College Lemoore Lemoore, 1,511 Students | $1,380 | – | – |
| West Los Angeles College Culver City, 2,664 Students | $1,196 | – | – |
| West Valley College Saratoga, 2,614 Students | $1,380 | – | – |
| Woodland Community College Woodland, 927 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
| Yuba College Marysville, 2,288 Students | $1,104 | – | – |
