California ranking · College Scorecard · Mar-Jul 2026 retrievals
Best Colleges in California
Using U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data retrieved March-July 2026, these operating California colleges (undergraduate enrollment 1,000+) rank highest on value: median earnings ten years after enrollment minus average net price. That single gap is the sort key - not prestige, selectivity, or a composite score.
- $110,273
- Top earnings-price gap
- 100
- California colleges ranked
- $13,807
- #1 avg net price
The list in one line
Among California colleges with enrollment of 1,000+, every school on this list clears a $36,593 earnings-minus-net-price gap. Stanford University leads at $110,273.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- $110,273
- #1 - Stanford University
- $124,080
- #1 ten-year median earnings
- $36,593
- #100 cutoff gap
- 1,000+
- undergraduate enrollment floor
Value = 10-year median earnings - average net price for federal-aid students. See methodology for cohort and lag details.
Top 15 California colleges by earnings-price gap
Higher gap = more earnings relative to average net price
- Stanford University
Stanford University
$110,273 earnings - net price
- University of California…
University of California-Berkeley
$78,965 earnings - net price
- Claremont McKenna College
Claremont McKenna College
$75,887 earnings - net price
- California Polytechnic S…
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
$74,103 earnings - net price
- University of California…
University of California-San Diego
$72,473 earnings - net price
- University of California…
University of California-Los Angeles
$69,963 earnings - net price
- West Coast University-An…
West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County
$69,793 earnings - net price
- University of California…
University of California-Irvine
$66,484 earnings - net price
- University of California…
University of California-Davis
$66,097 earnings - net price
- San Jose State University
San Jose State University
$65,228 earnings - net price
- California State Univers…
California State University-East Bay
$62,081 earnings - net price
- California State Polytec…
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
$60,371 earnings - net price
- University of Southern C…
University of Southern California
$59,758 earnings - net price
- Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
$59,121 earnings - net price
- University of California…
University of California-Santa Barbara
$58,806 earnings - net price
What this shows Specialized health and career schools can rank highly when program mix lifts earnings; compare completion rates and debt on each school profile before reading value as overall quality.
The full California list
| # | School Name | Median Earnings (10yr) | Avg Net Price | Earnings - Price | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University | $124,080 | $13,807 | $110,273 | 7,554 |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | $92,446 | $13,481 | $78,965 | 33,068 |
| 3 | Claremont McKenna College | $104,736 | $28,849 | $75,887 | 1,388 |
| 4 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | $90,768 | $16,665 | $74,103 | 21,996 |
| 5 | University of California-San Diego | $84,943 | $12,470 | $72,473 | 34,948 |
| 6 | University of California-Los Angeles | $82,511 | $12,548 | $69,963 | 33,475 |
| 7 | West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County | $102,672 | $32,879 | $69,793 | 3,192 |
| 8 | University of California-Irvine | $80,735 | $14,251 | $66,484 | 30,197 |
| 9 | University of California-Davis | $80,838 | $14,741 | $66,097 | 32,253 |
| 10 | San Jose State University | $78,988 | $13,760 | $65,228 | 27,601 |
| 11 | California State University-East Bay | $71,401 | $9,320 | $62,081 | 9,809 |
| 12 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | $71,902 | $11,531 | $60,371 | 25,042 |
| 13 | University of Southern California | $92,498 | $32,740 | $59,758 | 20,443 |
| 14 | Santa Clara University | $109,183 | $50,062 | $59,121 | 6,552 |
| 15 | University of California-Santa Barbara | $74,915 | $16,109 | $58,806 | 23,113 |
| 16 | Pomona College | $77,779 | $19,285 | $58,494 | 1,666 |
| 17 | California State University-Stanislaus | $63,188 | $6,067 | $57,121 | 8,385 |
| 18 | California State University-Fullerton | $62,951 | $6,555 | $56,396 | 38,546 |
| 19 | University of San Diego | $86,522 | $30,365 | $56,157 | 5,671 |
| 20 | San Francisco State University | $68,077 | $12,278 | $55,799 | 18,639 |
| 21 | California State University-Sacramento | $64,876 | $9,338 | $55,538 | 28,350 |
| 22 | California State University-San Bernardino | $59,977 | $4,564 | $55,413 | 15,023 |
| 23 | California State University-Los Angeles | $59,211 | $3,967 | $55,244 | 19,562 |
| 24 | Unitek College | $79,550 | $25,179 | $54,371 | 4,972 |
| 25 | California State University-Fresno | $61,244 | $7,000 | $54,244 | 21,605 |
| 26 | Skyline College | $55,702 | $1,738 | $53,964 | 7,620 |
| 27 | California State University-Long Beach | $64,403 | $10,440 | $53,963 | 35,924 |
| 28 | College of San Mateo | $54,172 | $536 | $53,636 | 7,977 |
| 29 | University of California-Riverside | $67,699 | $14,304 | $53,395 | 22,593 |
| 30 | California State University-Bakersfield | $59,009 | $5,652 | $53,357 | 8,577 |
| 31 | Sonoma State University | $65,986 | $12,885 | $53,101 | 5,166 |
| 32 | West Coast University-Ontario | $102,672 | $49,590 | $53,082 | 2,671 |
| 33 | University of the Pacific | $78,445 | $25,447 | $52,998 | 3,204 |
| 34 | California State University-San Marcos | $62,908 | $10,229 | $52,679 | 14,877 |
| 35 | University of California-Merced | $64,368 | $11,983 | $52,385 | 8,372 |
| 36 | California State University-Channel Islands | $62,152 | $9,849 | $52,303 | 5,013 |
| 37 | California State University-Northridge | $59,115 | $7,021 | $52,094 | 32,691 |
| 38 | Moorpark College | $49,044 | $-2,296 | $51,340 | 12,082 |
| 39 | Mount Saint Mary's University | $72,379 | $21,413 | $50,966 | 1,719 |
| 40 | University of California-Santa Cruz | $68,396 | $17,890 | $50,506 | 17,940 |
| 41 | Canada College | $50,087 | $32 | $50,055 | 5,175 |
| 42 | De Anza College | $56,596 | $6,642 | $49,954 | 15,264 |
| 43 | California State University-Chico | $64,172 | $14,480 | $49,692 | 13,631 |
| 44 | San Diego State University | $64,909 | $15,364 | $49,545 | 35,377 |
| 45 | Foothill College | $57,072 | $7,653 | $49,419 | 11,137 |
| 46 | Dominican University of California | $84,713 | $35,333 | $49,380 | 1,114 |
| 47 | California State University-Dominguez Hills | $57,162 | $8,615 | $48,547 | 12,538 |
| 48 | Saint Mary's College of California | $78,812 | $30,378 | $48,434 | 1,947 |
| 49 | University of San Francisco | $89,812 | $41,431 | $48,381 | 5,287 |
| 50 | West Valley College | $51,688 | $3,423 | $48,265 | 6,416 |
| 51 | Irvine Valley College | $49,156 | $2,090 | $47,066 | 10,286 |
| 52 | Saddleback College | $50,874 | $4,152 | $46,722 | 17,684 |
| 53 | Norco College | $51,206 | $5,169 | $46,037 | 8,779 |
| 54 | Mission College | $50,936 | $5,080 | $45,856 | 5,784 |
| 55 | Las Positas College | $51,088 | $5,377 | $45,711 | 7,299 |
| 56 | Moreno Valley College | $52,133 | $6,483 | $45,650 | 9,346 |
| 57 | California State University-Monterey Bay | $59,247 | $13,663 | $45,584 | 6,819 |
| 58 | College of the Canyons | $49,022 | $3,702 | $45,320 | 15,832 |
| 59 | University of La Verne | $65,464 | $20,161 | $45,303 | 3,050 |
| 60 | Fresno Pacific University | $58,896 | $13,630 | $45,266 | 1,544 |
| 61 | San Diego Miramar College | $48,224 | $3,337 | $44,887 | 11,271 |
| 62 | National University | $67,548 | $22,878 | $44,670 | 10,794 |
| 63 | Azusa Pacific University | $66,677 | $22,212 | $44,465 | 2,759 |
| 64 | Ventura College | $43,430 | $-982 | $44,412 | 10,150 |
| 65 | Ohlone College | $54,278 | $11,130 | $43,148 | 7,099 |
| 66 | Diablo Valley College | $51,378 | $8,312 | $43,066 | 15,358 |
| 67 | Santiago Canyon College | $44,956 | $2,129 | $42,827 | 10,579 |
| 68 | University of Redlands | $72,690 | $30,031 | $42,659 | 2,049 |
| 69 | Oxnard College | $41,393 | $-1,128 | $42,521 | 6,240 |
| 70 | Hartnell College | $44,316 | $2,039 | $42,277 | 9,453 |
| 71 | Scripps College | $77,539 | $36,294 | $41,245 | 1,113 |
| 72 | Santa Rosa Junior College | $47,224 | $6,331 | $40,893 | 15,080 |
| 73 | San Joaquin Delta College | $43,212 | $2,407 | $40,805 | 15,781 |
| 74 | Evergreen Valley College | $53,077 | $12,414 | $40,663 | 7,688 |
| 75 | Gavilan College | $47,169 | $6,542 | $40,627 | 4,786 |
| 76 | Santa Ana College | $43,552 | $3,133 | $40,419 | 22,485 |
| 77 | Orange Coast College | $47,348 | $7,203 | $40,145 | 16,091 |
| 78 | Pasadena City College | $43,937 | $3,864 | $40,073 | 21,466 |
| 79 | Mt San Antonio College | $46,283 | $6,490 | $39,793 | 26,140 |
| 80 | Modesto Junior College | $42,368 | $2,818 | $39,550 | 15,109 |
| 81 | Solano Community College | $44,170 | $4,669 | $39,501 | 8,061 |
| 82 | Santa Monica College | $42,193 | $2,779 | $39,414 | 21,440 |
| 83 | San Diego Mesa College | $45,120 | $5,814 | $39,306 | 16,098 |
| 84 | Chabot College | $48,143 | $9,053 | $39,090 | 11,392 |
| 85 | Cypress College | $43,533 | $4,606 | $38,927 | 13,354 |
| 86 | City College of San Francisco | $45,805 | $6,906 | $38,899 | 17,348 |
| 87 | Cerritos College | $41,156 | $2,424 | $38,732 | 18,870 |
| 88 | College of the Sequoias | $39,092 | $480 | $38,612 | 11,562 |
| 89 | California Lutheran University | $68,712 | $30,109 | $38,603 | 2,296 |
| 90 | Golden West College | $43,145 | $4,824 | $38,321 | 9,034 |
| 91 | Vanguard University of Southern California | $59,541 | $21,241 | $38,300 | 1,933 |
| 92 | Sierra College | $45,294 | $7,245 | $38,049 | 14,122 |
| 93 | Citrus College | $42,065 | $4,135 | $37,930 | 8,286 |
| 94 | Occidental College | $75,951 | $38,263 | $37,688 | 1,877 |
| 95 | Allan Hancock College | $42,786 | $5,383 | $37,403 | 8,052 |
| 96 | Chaffey College | $42,975 | $5,672 | $37,303 | 18,132 |
| 97 | Fullerton College | $43,366 | $6,134 | $37,232 | 17,121 |
| 98 | Yuba College | $39,552 | $2,576 | $36,976 | 4,779 |
| 99 | Concordia University-Irvine | $65,083 | $28,115 | $36,968 | 1,536 |
| 100 | Folsom Lake College | $42,568 | $5,975 | $36,593 | 9,414 |
About This Ranking
Schools in California are ranked by the same value metric as the national best-value list: 10-year median earnings minus average net price. Only operating schools with at least 1,000 undergraduates and both figures published are included. Ties break toward larger enrollment. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. See methodology.
Caveats and limitations
"Best" here means the largest earnings-minus-price gap among eligible California schools - not teaching quality, campus life, or the right fit for any applicant. Program mix (for example nursing or engineering) can lift institution-level earnings without proving a stronger undergraduate experience.
Earnings cover federally aided students only and describe a lagged cohort. Net price averages aided students and will not match every family's bill. Always open the school profile for completion, debt, and program detail.
This ranking is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or admissions advice.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Rankings are computed directly from College Scorecard and IPEDS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar-Jul 2026 retrievals.