Cheapest colleges in California after financial aid

The list (25 of 99)

Four-year colleges in California with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest average price after grants first. The list shows 25 of the 99 colleges with a price on file. Prices: College Scorecard, 2024-25.

1. California State University-Los Angeles $2,385 a year in-state Los Angeles, CA · Out of state: about $15,705 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $1,364 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
2. California State University-Stanislaus $3,565 a year in-state Turlock, CA · Out of state: about $16,885 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $1,658 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
3. California State University-San Bernardino $3,946 a year in-state San Bernardino, CA · Out of state: about $17,266 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $2,331 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
4. California State University-Bakersfield $4,001 a year in-state Bakersfield, CA · Out of state: about $17,321 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $2,097 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
5. California State University-Fullerton $5,115 a year in-state Fullerton, CA · Out of state: about $18,435 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $2,620 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
6. California State University-Fresno $5,418 a year in-state Fresno, CA · Out of state: about $18,738 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $3,925 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
7. California State University-Northridge $6,346 a year in-state Northridge, CA · Out of state: about $19,666 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $4,429 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
8. California State University-East Bay $6,858 a year in-state Hayward, CA · Out of state: about $20,178 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $4,576 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
9. California State University-Dominguez Hills $7,244 a year in-state Carson, CA · Out of state: about $20,564 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $6,002 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
10. California Institute of Technology $8,509 a year Pasadena, CA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $7,553 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
11. California State University-Channel Islands $8,534 a year in-state Camarillo, CA · Out of state: about $21,854 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $5,195 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
12. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona $9,404 a year in-state Pomona, CA · Out of state: about $22,724 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $6,245 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
13. California State University-Long Beach $9,426 a year in-state Long Beach, CA · Out of state: about $22,746 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $6,443 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
14. San Francisco State University $9,803 a year in-state San Francisco, CA · Out of state: about $23,123 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $6,699 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
15. Sonoma State University $10,759 a year in-state Rohnert Park, CA · Out of state: about $24,079 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $6,973 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
16. California State University-San Marcos $10,939 a year in-state San Marcos, CA · Out of state: about $24,259 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $7,618 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
17. California State University-Sacramento $11,186 a year in-state Sacramento, CA · Out of state: about $24,506 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $8,392 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
18. University of California, Merced $11,583 a year in-state Merced, CA · Out of state: about $49,185 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $7,387 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
19. Stanford University $12,307 a year Stanford, CA · Families earning under $30,000 paid $1,067 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
20. University of California, Riverside $12,672 a year in-state Riverside, CA · Out of state: about $50,274 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $6,871 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
21. San Diego State University $13,243 a year in-state San Diego, CA · Out of state: about $29,563 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $8,258 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
22. California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt $13,751 a year in-state Arcata, CA · Out of state: about $27,071 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $9,950 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
23. California State University-Monterey Bay $13,861 a year in-state Seaside, CA · Out of state: about $27,181 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $10,966 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
24. University of California, Irvine $13,866 a year in-state Irvine, CA · Out of state: about $51,468 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $6,160 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
25. California State University-Chico $14,157 a year in-state Chico, CA · Out of state: about $27,477 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $9,227 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25

What are the cheapest colleges in California after financial aid?

The cheapest four-year colleges in California after financial aid are California State University-Los Angeles ($2,385 a year in-state), California State University-Stanislaus ($3,565 a year in-state) and California State University-San Bernardino ($3,946 a year in-state), by the average price students with federal aid paid in 2024-25.

Which are cheapest for families earning under $30,000?

Of the colleges listed, Stanford ($1,067), California State University-Los Angeles ($1,364) and California State University-Stanislaus ($1,658) had the lowest average yearly price for students from families earning under $30,000, in 2024-25.

What does price after aid mean here?

It's what a student who got federal aid paid for a year of tuition, fees, housing, food and books after grants and scholarships, before loans. It comes from the College Scorecard, which the U.S. Department of Education publishes.