How many community colleges are in California?

CampusPin's dataset classifies 165 of California's 420 institutions as community (two-year) colleges, about 39.3% of the state's colleges.

How much does community college cost in California?

The median published in-state tuition at California community colleges in CampusPin's snapshot is $1,288 per year, compared with a national public two-year median of $4,288. Published prices are before financial aid; net price is typically lower.

Can I transfer from a California community college to a four-year university?

Most community colleges offer transfer pathways, completing lower-division coursework at a lower published cost before transferring to a four-year institution. Confirm articulation agreements and transfer-credit policies with each college and your target university.

Community colleges

Community Colleges in California

CampusPin classifies 165 of California's 420 colleges as community (two-year) colleges, about 39.3% of the state's institutions. Community colleges are the most affordable on-ramp to higher education, with a median published in-state tuition of $1,288 in this snapshot.

California community colleges by the numbers

Community colleges: 165
Share of state colleges: 39.3%
Median published in-state tuition: $1,288
National public 2-year median: $4,288
Lowest published tuition: Barstow Community College ($1,104)

Counts and shares come from CampusPin's committed institution-distribution snapshot; the tuition median is the published in-state figure from the tuition-by-state snapshot. Published prices are before financial aid, net price is typically lower, and lower tuition is not a measure of quality.

All community colleges in California

Why start at a California community college?

Community colleges typically offer open or less-selective admission, the lowest published tuition of any sector, and transfer pathways that let students complete lower-division coursework before moving to a four-year university. They also serve working and returning students with part-time, evening, and online options. Confirm transfer-credit and articulation agreements with each college and your target university.

All California colleges U.S. community colleges Community-college access research

Community colleges in nearby states

Data sources & methodology

Community-college counts and shares for California come from CampusPin's committed institution-distribution and tuition-by-state snapshots; the college list is compiled live from each institution's record.

Sources used across this page

Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.

IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
Net price by income band, post-graduation earnings, and federal aid context.
Institutional websites
Each school's official admissions, registrar, and financial-aid pages are the authoritative source for current details.

Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.

Methodology Data dictionary Report a correction

Suggested citation

CampusPin. Community Colleges in California. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/community-colleges-in/california