Colleges that spend the most on teaching in California
Colleges ranked by instructional spending for each full-time-equivalent student.
Colleges that spend the most on teaching in California64 schools
64 schools qualify, ranked by teaching spending per student. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in California.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has instructional spending per full-time-equivalent student from federal data (College Scorecard).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by instructional spending per student, highest first.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $154,517 on teaching per student
- 6 students per faculty member
- 2
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in California
- $124,489 on teaching per student
- 3 students per faculty member
- 3
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- $73,875 on teaching per student
- 20 students per faculty member
- 4
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $49,674 on teaching per student
- 9 students per faculty member
- 5
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $47,965 on teaching per student
- 8 students per faculty member
- 6
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for graduation
- $46,591 on teaching per student
- 5 students per faculty member
- 7
Soka University of America
Aliso Viejo, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for graduation
- $45,356 on teaching per student
- 7 students per faculty member
- 8
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $45,049 on teaching per student
- 7 students per faculty member
- 9
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- $36,100 on teaching per student
- 8 students per faculty member
- 10
California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, CA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- $34,675 on teaching per student
- 7 students per faculty member
- 11
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- $34,097 on teaching per student
- 22 students per faculty member
- 12
Scripps College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- $31,253 on teaching per student
- 10 students per faculty member
- 13
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- $29,852 on teaching per student
- 19 students per faculty member
- 14
Pitzer College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- $26,633 on teaching per student
- 10 students per faculty member
- 15
Art Center College of Design
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for graduation
- $26,617 on teaching per student
- 9 students per faculty member
- 16
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- $26,067 on teaching per student
- 19 students per faculty member
- 17
Whittier College
Whittier, CA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- $25,263 on teaching per student
- 8 students per faculty member
- 18
Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- $24,676 on teaching per student
- 9 students per faculty member
- 19
California College of the Arts
San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B
- $24,140 on teaching per student
- 8 students per faculty member
- 20
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- $23,741 on teaching per student
- 18 students per faculty member
- 21
Westmont College
Santa Barbara, CA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- $22,852 on teaching per student
- 10 students per faculty member
- 22
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- $22,421 on teaching per student
- 11 students per faculty member
- 23
University of the Pacific
Stockton, CA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- $22,165 on teaching per student
- 13 students per faculty member
- 24
California State University Maritime Academy
Vallejo, CA · PublicTop 3% for earnings
- $22,010 on teaching per student
- 11 students per faculty member
- 25
Chapman University
Orange, CA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- $21,557 on teaching per student
- 12 students per faculty member
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | $13,807 | $12,000 | $124,080 | 92% |
| California Institute of Technology | $16,075 | — | $128,566 | 94% |
| University of California-Los Angeles | $12,548 | $14,000 | $82,511 | 93% |
| University of Southern California | $32,740 | $18,000 | $92,498 | 92% |
| Claremont McKenna College | $28,849 | $13,500 | $104,736 | 91% |
| San Francisco Conservatory of Music | $42,607 | $27,000 | — | 74% |
| Soka University of America | $18,260 | $15,650 | $55,017 | 92% |
| Pomona College | $19,285 | $11,782 | $77,779 | 93% |
| Harvey Mudd College | $35,924 | $25,000 | $138,687 | 92% |
| California Institute of the Arts | $46,080 | $25,000 | $41,198 | 67% |
| University of California-Davis | $14,741 | $13,000 | $80,838 | 86% |
| Scripps College | $36,294 | $13,500 | $77,539 | 83% |
| University of California-Irvine | $14,251 | $15,000 | $80,735 | 87% |
| Pitzer College | $34,191 | $16,750 | $69,512 | 83% |
| Art Center College of Design | $48,661 | $31,000 | $71,958 | 79% |
| University of California-San Diego | $12,470 | $15,500 | $84,943 | 86% |
| Whittier College | $25,757 | $24,937 | $59,492 | 60% |
| Occidental College | $38,263 | $23,000 | $75,951 | 81% |
| California College of the Arts | $53,909 | $27,000 | $49,414 | 61% |
| University of California-Berkeley | $13,481 | $13,000 | $92,446 | 93% |
| Westmont College | $29,053 | $23,250 | $64,778 | 70% |
| Santa Clara University | $50,062 | $19,162 | $109,183 | 88% |
| University of the Pacific | $25,447 | $19,500 | $78,445 | 69% |
| California State University Maritime Academy | $20,555 | $24,965 | $94,784 | 60% |
| Chapman University | $46,555 | $20,500 | $70,070 | 82% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 5
- Colorado 7
- Connecticut 14
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 21
- Georgia 9
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 16
- Kansas 4
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 9
- Maryland 16
- Massachusetts 47
- Michigan 21
- Minnesota 19
- Missouri 20
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 17
- New York 80
- North Carolina 18
- Ohio 33
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 62
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 10
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 20
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 22
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 15