Stanford University ranked first in the Top Colleges in California rankings, followed by California Institute of Technology and Pomona College.

The average undergraduate tuition & fees of Top Colleges in California is $14,299 for California residents and $56,133 for out-of-state students in the academic year 2023-2024.

University of Southern California has the highest undergraduate tuition & fees of $68,237 and Soka University of America has the lowest tuition & fees of $37,450 among Top Colleges in California. For graduate programs, the 2024 average graduate tuition & fees of the schools is $14,572 for California residents and $50,380 for out-of-state students.

The average acceptance rate is 13.96% and the average graduation rate is 92% in the Top Colleges in California. The average SAT score of the schools is 1,497. The average salary after 10 years of graduation from the Top Colleges in California is $83,520.

Top Colleges in California Tuition Comparison

The average undergraduate tuition & fees of Top Colleges in California is $14,299 for state residents and $56,133 for out-of-state students in the academic year 2023-2024. University of Southern California has the most expensive tuition & fees of $68,237 and Soka University of America has the lowest rates of $37,450.

The average graduate tuition & fees of Top Colleges in California is $14,572 for state residents and $50,380 for out-of-state students in the academic year 2023-2024. Claremont McKenna College has the most expensive graduate tuition & fees of $68,525 and University of California-Los Angeles has the lowest graduate tuition rates of $28,985.

The following table compares the tuition and important academic & admission facts between Top Colleges in California.

Table. Top Colleges in California Tuition & Fees Comparison
RankSchool NameUndergraduate TuitionGraduate TuitionAcceptance RateSAT/ACT Scores Student PopulationGraduation Rate
1Stanford UniversityStanford, CA$62,484$59,4993.68%1,550 SAT
35 ACT
18,28395%
2California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, CA$63,255$63,0632.69%-2,40194%
3Pomona CollegeClaremont, CA$62,326-7.02%1,520 SAT
34 ACT
1,71694%
4University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA$68,237$68,12812.02%1,520 SAT
34 ACT
48,94592%
5Claremont McKenna CollegeClaremont, CA$64,150$68,52510.35%1,510 SAT
34 ACT
1,38991%
6Harvey Mudd CollegeClaremont, CA$66,255-13.36%1,530 SAT
35 ACT
92292%
7Soka University of AmericaAliso Viejo, CA$37,450$37,45056.63%1,350 SAT45587%
8Middlebury Institute of International Studies at MontereyMonterey, CA$47,026$47,026--657-
9University of California-Los AngelesLos Angeles, CA$44,524 ($13,747)$28,985 ($13,883)8.57%-46,43092%
10University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley, CA$45,627 ($14,850)$30,363 ($15,261)11.33%-45,30794%
Average$56,133 ($14,299)$50,380 ($14,572)14%1,49716,65192%
Top Colleges in California Tuition Comparison