# Best Online Colleges in California

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-06-07 | Schools: 50 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-online-colleges-california

## Methodology

Online programs in California ranked by outcomes and value

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [University of Southern California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-southern-california) | Los Angeles, CA | 92% | $92,498 | $32,740 | $18,000 | 0.19x |
| 2 | [San Jose State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-jose-state-university) | San Jose, CA | 67% | $78,988 | $13,760 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 3 | [San Francisco State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-francisco-state-university) | San Francisco, CA | 50% | $68,077 | $12,278 | $15,371 | 0.23x |
| 4 | [California State University Maritime Academy](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-maritime-academy) | Vallejo, CA | 63% | $94,784 | $20,555 | $24,965 | 0.26x |
| 5 | [San Diego State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university) | San Diego, CA | 77% | $64,909 | $15,364 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 6 | [Sonoma State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sonoma-state-university) | Rohnert Park, CA | 59% | $65,986 | $12,885 | $16,705 | 0.25x |
| 7 | [Azusa Pacific University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/azusa-pacific-university) | Azusa, CA | 63% | $66,677 | $22,212 | $23,219 | 0.35x |
| 8 | [University of California-Berkeley](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-berkeley) | Berkeley, CA | 93% | $92,446 | $13,481 | $13,000 | 0.14x |
| 9 | [Irvine Valley College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/irvine-valley-college) | Irvine, CA | 57% | $49,156 | $2,090 | $6,500 | 0.13x |
| 10 | [University of San Diego](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-san-diego) | San Diego, CA | 83% | $86,522 | $30,365 | $22,940 | 0.27x |
| 11 | [Saddleback College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saddleback-college) | Mission Viejo, CA | 46% | $50,874 | $4,152 | $9,500 | 0.19x |
| 12 | [Fresno Pacific University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fresno-pacific-university) | Fresno, CA | 53% | $58,896 | $13,630 | $23,146 | 0.39x |
| 13 | [California Lutheran University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-lutheran-university) | Thousand Oaks, CA | 72% | $68,712 | $30,109 | $21,669 | 0.32x |
| 14 | [University of California-Irvine](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-irvine) | Irvine, CA | 86% | $80,735 | $14,251 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 15 | [Vanguard University of Southern California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/vanguard-university-of-southern-california) | Costa Mesa, CA | 56% | $59,541 | $21,241 | $22,000 | 0.37x |
| 16 | [Pasadena City College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pasadena-city-college) | Pasadena, CA | 44% | $43,937 | $3,864 | $6,651 | 0.15x |
| 17 | [College of the Canyons](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-the-canyons) | Santa Clarita, CA | 44% | $49,022 | $3,702 | $9,612 | 0.2x |
| 18 | [College of the Sequoias](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-the-sequoias) | Visalia, CA | 36% | $39,092 | $480 | $4,500 | 0.12x |
| 19 | [Loyola Marymount University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/loyola-marymount-university) | Los Angeles, CA | 79% | $78,349 | $48,381 | $19,500 | 0.25x |
| 20 | [Santa Rosa Junior College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/santa-rosa-junior-college) | Santa Rosa, CA | 36% | $47,224 | $6,331 | $9,500 | 0.2x |
| 21 | [University of La Verne](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-la-verne) | La Verne, CA | 64% | $65,464 | $20,161 | $23,500 | 0.36x |
| 22 | [Pepperdine University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pepperdine-university) | Malibu, CA | 84% | $82,939 | $58,098 | $23,510 | 0.28x |
| 23 | [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo) | San Luis Obispo, CA | 86% | $90,768 | $16,665 | $18,500 | 0.2x |
| 24 | [MiraCosta College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/miracosta-college) | Oceanside, CA | 41% | $43,845 | $7,339 | $9,000 | 0.21x |
| 25 | [San Joaquin Delta College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-joaquin-delta-college) | Stockton, CA | 33% | $43,212 | $2,407 | $7,500 | 0.17x |
| 26 | [University of San Francisco](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-san-francisco) | San Francisco, CA | 71% | $89,812 | $41,431 | $23,000 | 0.26x |
| 27 | [Point Loma Nazarene University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/point-loma-nazarene-university) | San Diego, CA | 76% | $63,998 | $38,729 | $22,990 | 0.36x |
| 28 | [Biola University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/biola-university) | La Mirada, CA | 68% | $56,778 | $31,495 | $23,875 | 0.42x |
| 29 | [Sierra College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sierra-college) | Rocklin, CA | 40% | $45,294 | $7,245 | $10,500 | 0.23x |
| 30 | [California State University-Fullerton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-fullerton) | Fullerton, CA | 70% | $62,951 | $6,555 | $13,750 | 0.22x |
| 31 | [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona) | Pomona, CA | 68% | $71,902 | $11,531 | $16,000 | 0.22x |
| 32 | [California State University-Long Beach](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-long-beach) | Long Beach, CA | 69% | $64,403 | $10,440 | $14,289 | 0.22x |
| 33 | [California State University-Stanislaus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-stanislaus) | Turlock, CA | 56% | $63,188 | $6,067 | $13,540 | 0.21x |
| 34 | [Glendale Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/glendale-community-college-ca) | Glendale, CA | 35% | $41,540 | $8,365 | $8,972 | 0.22x |
| 35 | [Santa Barbara City College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/santa-barbara-city-college) | Santa Barbara, CA | 34% | $47,647 | $11,315 | $11,000 | 0.23x |
| 36 | [Napa Valley College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/napa-valley-college) | Napa, CA | 37% | $49,517 | $14,644 | $10,147 | 0.2x |
| 37 | [Butte College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/butte-college) | Oroville, CA | 38% | $41,810 | $5,520 | $10,500 | 0.25x |
| 38 | [Cuesta College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuesta-college) | San Luis Obispo, CA | 46% | $46,047 | $12,124 | $13,750 | 0.3x |
| 39 | [Long Beach City College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/long-beach-city-college) | Long Beach, CA | 28% | $38,870 | $6,202 | $10,500 | 0.27x |
| 40 | [University of California-Santa Cruz](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-santa-cruz) | Santa Cruz, CA | 75% | $68,396 | $17,890 | $16,666 | 0.24x |
| 41 | [Barstow Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/barstow-community-college) | Barstow, CA | 36% | $35,104 | $12,773 | $3,500 | 0.1x |
| 42 | [Mount Saint Mary's University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mount-saint-marys-university) | Los Angeles, CA | 53% | $72,379 | $21,413 | $25,949 | 0.36x |
| 43 | [Las Positas College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/las-positas-college) | Livermore, CA | 51% | $51,088 | $5,377 | N/A | N/A |
| 44 | [College of Marin](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-marin) | Kentfield, CA | 38% | $42,654 | $12,351 | $10,062 | 0.24x |
| 45 | [California State University-Sacramento](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-sacramento) | Sacramento, CA | 56% | $64,876 | $9,338 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 46 | [California Baptist University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-baptist-university) | Riverside, CA | 61% | $61,504 | $26,285 | $26,063 | 0.42x |
| 47 | [California State University-East Bay](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-east-bay) | Hayward, CA | 47% | $71,401 | $9,320 | $16,544 | 0.23x |
| 48 | [Pacific Union College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pacific-union-college) | Angwin, CA | 55% | $70,484 | $41,008 | $27,500 | 0.39x |
| 49 | [College of the Redwoods](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-the-redwoods) | Eureka, CA | 30% | $36,243 | $6,904 | $8,080 | 0.22x |
| 50 | [California State University-Monterey Bay](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-monterey-bay) | Seaside, CA | 61% | $59,247 | $13,663 | $12,750 | 0.22x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Online Colleges in California." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-06-07. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-online-colleges-california

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.