2023 Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. Also, there are a number of trade schools and bootcamps with offerings that you might find attractive.
The Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California ranking is one of many tools that Course Advisor has developed to help you make your educational decision. This report analyzed 408 schools in California to see which ones were the most popular undergraduate certificate programs for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school on the list.
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Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our analysis found Santa Monica College to be the most popular school for students who want to pursue a undergraduate certificate in California. Located in Santa Monica, California, the large public school handed out 3,683 undergraduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,146 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend SMC. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,090. Of those students who received their degree, 60% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at SMC. In 2019-2020 about 45% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Saddleback College is a great place for students working on their undergraduate certificate. Saddleback College is a fairly large public school located in Mission Viejo, California that handed out 2,495 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,332 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Saddleback College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $10,292. Of those students who received their degree, 59% were women.
One thing to take note of is that Saddleback College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 89% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Cuesta College is a great place for students working on their undergraduate certificate. Cuesta College is a medium-sized public school situated in San Luis Obispo, California. It awarded 2,256 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Students from California who attend Cuesta College full time pay an average of $1,338 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,702. Around 62% of those degree recipients were women.
Cuesta College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 96% took at least some of their classes online.
The excellent undergraduate certificate programs at East Los Angeles College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular schools in California. This large public school is located in Monterey Park, California, and it awarded 2,127 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Students from California who attend East Los Angeles College full time pay an average of $1,238 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $9,012. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $13,276 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 68% were women.
East Los Angeles College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2019-2020 about 41% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Orange Coast College. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California list. Located in Costa Mesa, California, the fairly large public school handed out 2,103 undergraduate certificate awards in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,198 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Orange Coast College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,398. Around 57% of those degree recipients were women.
Orange Coast College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 69% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Fullerton College landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular undergraduate certificate programs. Fullerton College is a public institution located in Fullerton, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,046 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,154 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Fullerton College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $7,514. Of those students who received their degree, 66% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Fullerton College. In fact, around 36% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Citrus College came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California ranking. Glendora, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 1,960 students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $1,196 in tuition and fees if they attend Citrus College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,804. Around 65% of those degree recipients were women.
Citrus College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 45% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #8, Long Beach City College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate. This large public school is located in Long Beach, California, and it awarded 1,703 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Students from California who attend Long Beach City College full time pay an average of $1,556 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $11,444. Of those students who received their degree, 62% were women.
Long Beach City College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 98% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Bakersfield College ranked #9 on this year’s Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California list. Bakersfield, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out undergraduate certificates to 1,685 students in 2020-2021.
Students from California who attend Bakersfield College full time pay an average of $1,430 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,380. Around 68% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Bakersfield College. In fact, around 97% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #10, Palomar College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate. Palomar College is a fairly large public school situated in San Marcos, California. It awarded 1,594 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,344 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Palomar College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,940. Of those students who received their degree, 53% were women.
Palomar College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 90% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #11, College of the Canyons did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate. College of the Canyons is a fairly large public school situated in Santa Clarita, California. It awarded 1,537 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at College of the Canyons is $1,146. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,682. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from College of the Canyons accumulate an average of $12,464 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 66% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at College of the Canyons. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 55% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Golden West College ranked #12 on this year’s Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California list. Golden West College is a fairly large public school situated in Huntington Beach, California. It awarded 1,497 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,186 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Golden West College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,554. Of those students who received their degree, 65% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Golden West College. In 2019-2020 about 77% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #13, Moorpark College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate. Moorpark College is a public institution located in Moorpark, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,464 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,394 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Moorpark College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,398. Of those students who received their degree, 60% were women.
Moorpark College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 89% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Allan Hancock College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #14 on the list. This medium-sized public school is located in Santa Maria, California, and it awarded 1,406 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,146 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Allan Hancock College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,842. Around 68% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Allan Hancock College does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 37% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Irvine Valley College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #15 on the list. Irvine Valley College is a fairly large public school situated in Irvine, California. It awarded 1,384 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,146 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Irvine Valley College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,826. Around 55% of those degree recipients were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Irvine Valley College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 56% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Santa Ana College landed the #16 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular undergraduate certificate programs. This large public school is located in Santa Ana, California, and it awarded 1,312 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $1,180 in tuition and fees if they attend SAC full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $7,684. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from SAC accumulate an average of $13,108 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 63% of those degree recipients were women.
SAC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2019-2020 about 49% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #17, Santa Barbara City College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in Santa Barbara, California, the fairly large public school awarded 1,306 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,232 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend SBCC. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,912. By the time they get their undergraduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,383 in student loans. Around 64% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since SBCC does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 59% took at least some of their classes online.
Cypress College landed the #18 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular undergraduate certificate programs. Cypress College is a fairly large public school situated in Cypress, California. It awarded 1,291 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Cypress College is $1,146. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,898. Of those students who received their degree, 62% were women.
Online courses are available at Cypress College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 38% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Ventura College landed the #19 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular undergraduate certificate programs. Ventura College is a fairly large public school situated in Ventura, California. It awarded 1,245 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Ventura College is $1,394. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,398. Of those students who received their degree, 61% were women.
One thing to take note of is that Ventura College does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 79% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #20, Grossmont College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their undergraduate certificate. Located in El Cajon, California, the fairly large public school awarded 1,196 diplomas to qualifed undergraduate certificate students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Grossmont College is $1,332. Out-of-state students pay an average of $9,928. Around 59% of those degree recipients were women.
Grossmont College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2019-2020 year, about 64% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Los Angeles Valley College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular undergraduate certificate programs. LAVC is a fairly large public school situated in Valley Glen, California. It awarded 1,045 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $1,238 in tuition and fees if they attend LAVC full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,012. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from LAVC accumulate an average of $11,749 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 63% were women.
One thing to take note of is that LAVC does offer online classes in some areas. In fact, around 50% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Merced College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California ranking. Merced Community College District is a public institution located in Merced, California. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,041 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Students from California who attend Merced Community College District full time pay an average of $1,180 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $7,444. Undergraduate Certificate recipients from Merced Community College District accumulate an average of $9,067 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 62% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Merced Community College District. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 97% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Chaffey College ranked #23 on this year’s Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California list. This fairly large public school is located in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and it awarded 1,031 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,184 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Chaffey College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,960. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $9,073 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 70% of those degree recipients were women.
Online courses are available at Chaffey College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 99% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Los Angeles Pierce College came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California ranking. Pierce College is a fairly large public school situated in Woodland Hills, California. It awarded 1,006 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,238 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Pierce College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $9,012. On average, undergraduate certificate students take out $18,092 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 61% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Pierce College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 39% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Unitek College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an undergraduate certificate. It came in at #25 on the list. Unitek College is a small private for-profit school situated in Fremont, California. It awarded 960 undergraduate certificates in 2020-2021.
Undergraduate Certificate recipients from Unitek College accumulate an average of $14,397 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 81% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, Unitek College is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
Rest of the Top 50 Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in the Far Western US Region
View Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools Nationwide >
Rest of the Top 15% Most Popular Undergraduate Certificate Schools in California
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Diablo Valley College | Pleasant Hill, CA |
| 52 | Los Angeles Mission College | Sylmar, CA |
| 53 | Carrington College, Sacramento | Sacramento, CA |
| 54 | American Career College - Ontario | Ontario, CA |
| 55 | UEI College-Fresno | Fresno, CA |
| 56 | Southwestern College | Chula Vista, CA |
| 57 | United Education Institute-West Covina | West Covina, CA |
| 58 | UEI College-Riverside | Riverside, CA |
| 59 | San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia | Visalia, CA |
| 60 | Chabot College | Hayward, CA |
| 61 | United Education Institute-Encino | Encino, CA |
| 62 | California Technical Academy | Riverside, CA |
Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our most popular schools ranking:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 63 | American Career College - Anaheim | Anaheim, CA |
| 64 | Shasta College | Redding, CA |
| 65 | United Education Institute-Anaheim | Anaheim, CA |
| 66 | Crafton Hills College | Yucaipa, CA |
| 67 | UEI College-Sacramento | Sacramento, CA |
| 68 | Napa Valley College | Napa, CA |
| 69 | El Camino College | Torrance, CA |
| 70 | United Education Institute-Ontario | Ontario, CA |
| 71 | United Education Institute-UEI College Stockton | Stockton, CA |
| 72 | Los Angeles Southwest College | Los Angeles, CA |
| 73 | United Education Institute-UEI College San Marcos | San Marcos, CA |
| 74 | Berkeley City College | Berkeley, CA |
| 75 | San Diego Miramar College | San Diego, CA |
| 76 | San Jose City College | San Jose, CA |
| 77 | Contra Costa College | San Pablo, CA |
| 78 | Pasadena City College | Pasadena, CA |
| 79 | Butte College | Oroville, CA |
| 80 | San Bernardino Valley College | San Bernardino, CA |
| 81 | Southern California Institute of Technology | Anaheim, CA |
| 82 | North-West College - West Covina | West Covina, CA |
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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