Santa Rosa, California Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Santa Rosa, California: median public in-state tuition $1,318 (-76.9% vs national median) median graduate debt $10,500 (-22.2% vs U.S.) 15,166 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Santa Rosa serve students across California with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 15,166 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $1,318. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Santa Rosa, California and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Santa Rosa vs California & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, California | $1,318 | $17,011 | $10,500 | N/A | 15,166 |
| California (state median) | $1,334 | $7,373 | $11,638 | 57.0% | 2,134,337 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,468,409 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Santa Rosa, California vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, California | N/A | N/A | N/A | — | — | N/A | N/A |
| California (state median) | $71,890 | 92.4% | 83.8% | 3.7% | — | 74.1% | 0.26 |
| United States | $59,402 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.36 |
Other cities in California (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa, California | $1,318 | $17,011 | $10,500 | N/A | 15,166 | N/A | N/A |
| Los Angeles | $19,196 | $26,276 | $19,151 | 70.2% | 120,534 | $78,572 | 92.3% |
| San Diego | $14,032 | $26,450 | $13,677 | 53.1% | 95,661 | $73,741 | 93.6% |
| Sacramento | $1,288 | $20,089 | $11,462 | 46.9% | 94,048 | $69,014 | 92.6% |
| Long Beach | $4,949 | $26,539 | $12,000 | 70.3% | 60,761 | $69,554 | 92.8% |
| Fullerton | $5,831 | $4,132 | $13,594 | 53.2% | 56,299 | $60,134 | 92.1% |
| Fresno | $8,224 | $21,108 | $11,411 | 53.1% | 54,532 | $64,448 | 92.7% |
| Riverside | $16,103 | $24,129 | $12,125 | 55.9% | 53,903 | $67,633 | 91.9% |
| Pasadena | $27,670 | $27,036 | $9,500 | 41.4% | 49,021 | $64,912 | 91.1% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,468,409 | $59,402 | 93.0% |
In-state tuition: Santa Rosa, California vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Santa Rosa, California median in-state tuition is $1,318, -76.9% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Santa Rosa, California vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Santa Rosa, California is $10,500 (-22.2% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $11,638.
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Santa Rosa, California median public in-state tuition is $1,318, about -76.9% vs the national median. Versus the Far West region, tuition is -59.9%.
Median graduate debt is $10,500 (-22.2% below the U.S. median of $13,500). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Santa Rosa?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Santa Rosa, California with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Santa Rosa?
Median in-state tuition in Santa Rosa is $1,318 and median net price is $17,011. For California overall, medians are $1,334 and $7,373; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Santa Rosa?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Santa Rosa is N/A vs $71,890 for California and $59,402 nationally.
What is student debt like for Santa Rosa colleges?
Median completer debt in Santa Rosa is $10,500 vs $11,638 for California and $13,500 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Santa Rosa?
Among 2 campuses in Santa Rosa, California, 2 campuses report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment in U.S. Department of Education data; examples include Lytles Redwood Empire Beauty College and Santa Rosa Junior College.
Sources & related
- California college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON