How much does a private college cost in California?

The median published tuition at California private universities in CampusPin's snapshot is $15,977 per year, the same rate for in-state and out-of-state students. Private colleges often discount the sticker price heavily with institutional aid, so net price is frequently much lower; check each college's net price calculator.

Are private colleges more expensive than public ones in California?

Private colleges usually have a higher published (sticker) tuition than in-state public colleges, but they also tend to award larger institutional grants, so the net price after aid can be competitive. Compare net price, not sticker price, on each profile.

Private colleges

Private Colleges in California

CampusPin lists 266 private colleges and universities in California, about 63.3% of the state's 420 institutions. Private colleges charge one published tuition to all students, a median of $15,977 in this snapshot, and often discount it with institutional aid.

California private colleges by the numbers

Private colleges: 266
Share of state colleges: 63.3%
Median published tuition: $15,977
National private median: $23,664
Most selective: California Institute of Technology (3%)

Counts and shares come from CampusPin's committed institution-distribution snapshot; the tuition median is the published private-university figure from the tuition-by-state snapshot. Private tuition is the same for in-state and out-of-state students, and published prices are before institutional aid, net price is typically lower.

Private universities in California

Private two-year colleges in California

Sticker price vs net price at private colleges

Private colleges publish a single tuition for all students and rarely charge it in full: most award institutional grants and scholarships that lower the net price, sometimes well below a public out-of-state rate. Use each college's net price calculator and compare net price and outcomes, not the sticker figure, before ruling a private college out on cost. To see how those figures behave nationally, our cost and outcomes by state research reports the median net price, graduation rate, and earnings for each state.

All California colleges Public colleges in California Community colleges in California Does a pricier college pay off?Cost vs. outcomes within private colleges

Private colleges in nearby states

Data sources & methodology

Private-college counts and tuition 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. Private Colleges in California. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/private-colleges-in/california