The cost of college in California — and what it pays back
Across the 334 California institutions we profile, the median net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $19,905/yr, $3,003 above the $16,902 national median. Graduates earn a median $42,450 ten years after entry (below the $43,549 national median), and 118 of the 334 schools clear their full cost on institution-wide earnings. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
How California's 334 colleges split by ROI verdict
Verdicts: payback under 5 / 10 / 20 / over 20 years (or none).
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moorpark College | -$2,296 | $49,044 | -6.7 yrs |
| Canada College | $32 | $50,087 | 0 yrs |
| College of San Mateo | $536 | $54,172 | 0.2 yrs |
| Skyline College | $1,738 | $55,702 | 0.5 yrs |
| Stanford University | $13,807 | $124,080 | 0.7 yrs |
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moorpark College | -$2,296 | $49,044 | -6.7 yrs |
| Oxnard College | -$1,128 | $41,393 | no payback |
| Ventura College | -$982 | $43,430 | no payback |
| Canada College | $32 | $50,087 | 0 yrs |
| College of the Sequoias | $480 | $39,092 | no payback |
How many California colleges actually pay for themselves?
118 of 334 — 35% of the California institutions we profile clear their full net cost on institution-wide earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The rest need a high-paying major to pay off; the school average alone does not do it.
Do California graduates out-earn the national median?
California graduates report a median $42,450 ten years after entry, $1,099 below the $43,549 national median. Earnings track the local labour market and the mix of fields the state's colleges graduate, not the state border itself.