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20 Best Community Colleges in California [UPDATED]

With more than 450 higher education institutions in California, choosing the best school for your needs can be overwhelming. Not only do you need to decide on whether to attend a two-year or four-year college, but you also have to mine through extensive government data to find the schools offering the best experience.

However, in this article, we will discuss the California community college and the following: top community colleges in California and the best community colleges in California.

Table of contents

About Community Colleges in California

A myth says students go to community colleges because a four-year school didn’t accept them. The truth is many students start their post-secondary degrees in college as a money-saving factor.

By taking the first two years of a four-year degree in a community college, students take out fewer loans and won’t carry as large of a debt burden. Many students (and parents) are seeing community colleges as a great stepping stone. In recent years, this trend hasn’t lessened.

Thus if your goal is to attend a four-year university, the game’s name is to pay attention to the graduation and transfer rate of the community college.

These two rates are representative of how well a student does in school and their chances of transferring into the schools of their choice (also pay attention to what classes will transfer to the school of your choice—it really helps).

Some schools have strong relationships with major universities and offer honors programs that provide a sort of “backdoor” into these schools. What ultimately matters most is your own academic performance. Keep your head down, work hard, and you’ll be able to make it.

See Also: 13 Best Community Colleges in Canada 2024

What is Community College?

Community colleges (sometimes called university colleges, technical colleges, or municipal colleges) are mostly public institutions of higher education offering diplomas and scholarships.

Some community colleges also offer technical credentials, and many community colleges have comprehensive career-oriented transfer programs. Many community colleges offer long-term and continuous education.

The name Community College is due to the fact that universities attract students mainly from the local community and often receive support through local taxes.

According to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the 1,132+ community colleges in the U.S. enroll nearly half of all undergraduates in the U.S.—just over 13 million students. These community colleges graduate 20-25 percent of all first-time, full-time students.

For millions of adult learners and students, community colleges are vital pathways to more advanced education or enhanced employment.

Earning an associate degree is a springboard to advancement for many, whether they transfer the credits to a four-year college or use it to procure a better job.

See Also: How To Apply For Summer Classes At a Community College

Who’s Going to Community College?

Today, up to 45% of college students in the United States are enrolled in community colleges, and community colleges are of particular importance to first-generation students: students of African origin and Native American and Latin American schools, depending on the datasheet of the American Association of Community Colleges.

Community colleges are essential for social mobility, access to education, and access to professional jobs.

What About Online Community Colleges?

Not all community colleges offer fully online degrees, often because community college budgets can’t make the leap. But more colleges than ever are offering online courses to help working adults take courses on their own schedules.

Online courses allow students to shape their education around their work schedules, take classes and do coursework at odd times at their own convenience, and improve their credentials for promotion and advancement without having to make too many sacrifices.

See Also: Top Regionally Accredited Online Colleges & Universities Best for You

Ranking Community Colleges: How We Do It

However, despite their importance, community colleges still tend to ignore them. That’s why value colleges are here. Our mission is to run numbers and find institutions that will provide the best return on your educational investment – not those that spend more on marketing, but those that combine affordability and quality so that graduates can be assured that they will not lose their hard work and hard-earned money.

Here is the list of the 20 Best Community Colleges in California 2024

These 20 community colleges are the best places in California to earn an online associate degree or certificate. With an average tuition of just $1,413, many of these schools are also very affordable.

While all of these community colleges offer at least one fully online associate degree, including an Associate of Arts in Art History and an Associate of Science in Management. It also has a wide variety of online degrees available, including an Associate of Arts in Anthropology, an Associate of Arts in Marketing, and more. This California community college includes:

  • Cuesta College
  •  Mt. San Antonio College
  •  West Valley College
  •  Touro University
  •  Orange Coast College
  •  Santa Rosa Junior College
  •  Canada College
  •  De Anza College
  •  College of San Mateo
  •  Pasadena City College
  •  Taft College
  •  Ohlone College
  •  Las Positas College
  •  Lake Tahoe Community College
  •  Fullerton College
  •  Santa Barbara City College
  •  City College of San Francisco
  •  Santa Barbara City College
  •  Santiago Canyon College
  •  Barstow Community College

#1. Cuesta College

Cuesta College is an above-average public college located in California. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 3,372 undergraduate students. The Cuesta acceptance rate is 100%.

The college also has Popular majors, which include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, and Health Service Preparatory Studies. Graduating 35% of students, Cuesta alumni also go on to earn a starting salary of $29,500.

This is one of the best Best community colleges in California, with a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $9,418.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#2. Mt. San Antonio College

Mt. San Antonio is an above-average public college located in Walnut, California, in the Los Angeles Area. It is a big institution with an enrollment of 10,226 undergraduate students. The Mt. San Antonio acceptance rate is 100%.

Popular majors include Business, Physical Education Teaching and Coaching, and Psychology. Graduating 34% of students, Mt. San Antonio alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $25,900.

The school also has a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $4,890. This is also one of the top community colleges in California.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#3. West Valley College

West Valley is an above-average public college located in Saratoga, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 2,149 undergraduate students. However, the West Valley acceptance rate is 100%.

Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, and Natural Sciences. Graduating 40% of students, West Valley alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $27,800.

West Valley College has a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $11,645. This is also one of the best community colleges in California.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#4. Touro University

Touro University Worldwide (TUW) is a non-profit university accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. The online degree programs at TUW range from the undergraduate level to the doctoral level.

TUW has extremely affordable tuition, and a university-wide scholarship program focused on student retention and graduation, making the student’s cost of learning and attaining a degree well below most comparable institutions.

A complete online library and resources are also included in the tuition with no student expenses on textbooks. This school is one of the top community colleges in California. Also, with an acceptance rate of 34% and a net price of $21,122.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#5. Orange Coast College

The Orange Coast College is an above-average public college located in Costa Mesa, California, in the Los Angeles Area. It is a mid-size institution with an enrollment of 8,375 undergraduate students.

The Orange Coast acceptance rate is 100%. Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, and Psychology. Graduating 44% of students, Orange Coast alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $27,000.

This is also one of the best community colleges in California, with a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $5,533.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#6. Santa Rosa Junior College

Santa Rosa Junior is a higher-than-average public college located in Santa Rosa, California. It is a medium-sized institution with an enrollment of 6329 university students.

The admission rate at Santa Rosa Junior is 100%. Major specialties include police, forensic science, emergency medical technicians (EMT paramedics), and social science research methods.

Graduating 38% of students, Santa Rosa Junior graduates continue to receive a salary starting at $27,100. This school is one of the top community colleges in California. Also, with a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $8,770.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#7. Canada College

Canada is a higher-than-average public university located in Woodside, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a small institution with a total of 999 undergraduate students. The admission rate in Canada is 100%.

Popular disciplines include liberal arts, humanities, childcare providers, and psychology. Graduated 28% of the students the graduates from Canada will obtain a salary of 29,200 USD.

This is also one of the best community colleges in California, with a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $6,453.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#8. De Anza College

De Anza is an above-average public school located in Cupertino, California, in the San Francisco Bay area. It is a medium-sized institution with a total of 9827 students. The admission rate of De Anza is 100%.

The main disciplines include business, research methods, social sciences, and natural sciences. Graduated 67% of students, Anza graduates continue to receive a salary of $31,800. This school is one of the top community colleges in California. Also, with a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $6,404.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#9. College of San Mateo

The College of San Mateo is a public school higher than the average, located in San Mateo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a small institution with 2,479 students enrolled. The San Mateo acceptance rate is 100%.

Popular disciplines include liberal arts, humanities, business, and research methods in the social sciences. Of graduates, 41% of students, San Mateo graduates continue to receive a salary starting at $29,000.

This is one of the best community colleges in California, with a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $4,384.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#10. Pasadena City College

Pasadena City College is an above-average public university located in Pasadena, California, Los Angeles. It is a great institution with 10,422 university students. The admission rate at Pasadena City College is 100%.

Popular disciplines include liberal arts, humanities, natural sciences, and business. 40% of students graduate, and graduates of Pasadena City College continue to receive a salary starting at $24,400.

This school is one of the top community colleges in California. It also has a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $8,030.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#11. Taft College

Taft is an above-average public college located in Taft, California, in the Bakersfield Area. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 1,317 undergraduate students.

The Taft acceptance rate is 100%. Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Child Care Provider, and Health Service Preparatory Studies. Graduating 41% of students, Taft alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $22,900.

This is one of the best community colleges in California, with a 100% acceptance rate and net price of $4,384.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#12. Ohlone College

Ohlone is an above-average public college located in Fremont, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 3,446 undergraduate students. The Ohlone acceptance rate is 100%.

Popular majors include Social Science Research Methods, Business, and Mathematics. Graduating 47% of students, Ohlone alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $30,300.

This school is one of the top community colleges in California. The college also has a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $12,539.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#13. Las Positas College

Las Positas is an above-average public college located in California. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 3,040 undergraduate students. The Las Positas acceptance rate is 100%. Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, and Child Care Provider.

Graduating 46% of students, Las Positas alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $31,000. This is one of the best community colleges in California, with a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $5,932.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#14. Lake Tahoe Community College

Lake Tahoe is a public college located in South Lake Tahoe, California, in the Reno Area. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 599 undergraduate students. The Lake Tahoe acceptance rate is 100%.

Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Social Science Research Methods, and Fire Science and Fire Fighting. Graduating 33% of students, Lake Tahoe alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $20,700.

This school is also one of the top community colleges in California. The college also has a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $8,743.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#15. Fullerton College

Fullerton is a public college located in Fullerton, California, Los Angeles Area. It is a mid-size institution with an enrollment of 8,403 undergraduate students. The Fullerton acceptance rate is 100%.

Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, and Sociology. Graduating 33% of students, Fullerton alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $25,200.

This is one of the best community colleges in California, with a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $6,208.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#16. Santa Barbara City College

Santa Barbara City is a public university located in Santa Barbara, California. It is a medium-sized institution with 6509 university students enrolled. The admission rate to the city of Santa Bárbara is 100%.

Popular disciplines include liberal arts, humanities, natural sciences, and psychology. Graduates 41% of students and graduates from the city of Santa Barbara will receive a salary starting at $26,900.

This school is one of the top community colleges in California. The college also has a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $11,082.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#17. City College of San Francisco

CCSF is a public university located in San Francisco, California. It is a medium-sized institution with 7,084 university students enrolled. The acceptance rate of the CCSF is 100%.

Popular disciplines include liberal arts and humanities, research methods in social sciences, and natural sciences. Of graduated 36% of students, CCSF graduates earn a salary starting at $ 26,800. This is one of the best community colleges in California, with a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $5,479.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#18. Santa Barbara City College

Santa Barbara City is a public university located in Santa Barbara, California. It is a medium-sized institution with 6509 university students enrolled. The admission rate to the city of Santa Bárbara is 100%.

Popular disciplines include liberal arts, humanities, natural sciences, and psychology. Graduates 41% of students and graduates from the city of Santa Barbara will receive a salary starting at $26,900. The college has a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $11,082.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#19. Santiago Canyon College

The Santiago Canyon is a public university located in Orange, California, in the Los Angeles area. It is a small institution with 2928 students. The admission rate in Santiago Canyon is 100%. Popular disciplines include liberal arts, humanities, natural sciences, and business.

Graduates 44% of students and graduates of Santiago Canyon continue to receive a salary starting at $26,700. This is also one of the best community colleges in California, with a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $6,079.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

#20. Barstow Community College

Barstow is a public college located in Barstow, California. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 1,252 undergraduate students. The Barstow acceptance rate is 100%.

Popular majors include Social Science Research Methods, Business, and Liberal Arts and Humanities. Graduating 18% of students, Barstow alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $19,900. The college has a 100% acceptance rate and a net price of $8,608.

For more information on the California community college, click the Link.

Best Community Colleges in California FAQs

Are community colleges in California free?

Community college in California may be somewhat free. However, California now provides free tuition for the first two years of community college for first-time students who attend full-time.

How many colleges are in California?

The total number of colleges in the California community is 114. However, it still has a large number of additional campuses throughout the state. Out of this number, there are 23 California States.

Which is the best college in California?

According to U.S. News, the University of California is one of the best colleges in California. With a number of campuses and enrollment statistics of about 19,907 and a tuition fee of $43,176 for out-of-state students and $14 184 for in-state. Californian University stands out.

Conclusion

There are over 114 colleges in California. Selecting the best for you can be a rigorous task. Hence, this article that simplifies all you need to know about the 20 best community colleges in California.

Read through and select the best college for you.

References

EDITORS RECOMMENDATION

Nneoma is an experienced SEO content writer and the Editor-in-chief at Kiiky.com - your next stop after search. With over 5 years of experience in content writing, Nneoma has mastered the act of providing the right information to users across search engines answering their questions in simple terms. As an editor, she ensures articles are void of grammatical and vocabulary errors enhancing a beautiful reading experience for all. She is an empath who is committed to growth and excellence. Nneoma holds a B.A in English and Literature Studies from a presitigious university in Nigeria, where she served as the Editor-in-Chief of the literary unit. She is a great enthusiast of technological advancement; hence, she holds the Google IT Support Professional Certificate and is currently a student at CISCO Technology Company. Nneoma Gideon volunteers as the editor-in-chief of the biggest tech event in her city - SMFEST. She is a mother who loves writing, travelling, and reading.

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