Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Placentia

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Placita Santa Fe, Placentia, California (2021-06-24)Photo: Amin Eshaiker · CC BY-SA 4.0
Colleges in and near Placentia

California State University-Fullerton is 1.8 miles from Placentia

No college sits inside Placentia’s boundary, but California State University-Fullerton’s campus in Fullerton, with 38,210 students on campus, is 1.8 miles from the center of town, and Fullerton College is 3.7 miles away in Fullerton. About 8% of Placentia’s residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California (8%).

California State University-FullertonFullerton College

From the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard, June 2026; IPEDS fall 2023 enrollment) and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2020–24. Straight-line distances from the center of Placentia. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
41
230,142 students on campus
Nearest college
1.8 mi
California State University-Fullerton
Residents in college
8%
About the same as CA (8%)
Nearest community college
3.7 mi
Fullerton College · $1,150 tuition
Nearest public university
1.8 mi
California State University-Fullerton · $7,470 in-state
Median household income
$116K
prices below start here

What stands out about college from Placentia

Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.

Two colleges within 3.7 milesCalifornia State University-Fullerton admits 91% of applicants. Together they have 51,069 students on campus.In-state price at California State University-FullertonLiving in California, California State University-Fullerton charges $7,470 in tuition and fees; from out of state, $20,070. State residency rules decide which a new arrival pays.A community college 3.7 miles awayFullerton College in Fullerton: tuition and fees $1,150 a year for California residents.Students are 8% of residentsAbout the same as California (8%). The Census counts anyone enrolled, including part-time and online students.
Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of Placentia

28 private colleges within 14.3 miles, two public colleges within 12.4 miles, and 11 community colleges.

5 mi10 mi15 miCalifornia State University-FullertonCalifornia State Polytechnic University-PomonaMt San Antonio CollegePlacentia
University or collegeCommunity college
California State University-FullertonUniversity or college · Public · 38,210 on campus · 1.8 mi · Fullerton91%admitted$7knet price70%graduate$63kearningsHope International UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 656 on campus · 1.8 mi · Fullerton33%admitted$29knet price49%graduate$50kearningsMarshall B Ketchum UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 679 on campus · 1.9 mi · FullertonGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Fullerton CollegeCommunity college · Public · 12,859 on campus · 3.7 mi · Fullerton$6knet price34%graduate$43kearningsTuition and fees: $1,150 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.California Career InstituteUniversity or college · For-profit · 517 on campus · 4.8 mi · AnaheimPlatt College-AnaheimUniversity or college · For-profit · 405 on campus · 5.1 mi · Anaheim$23knet price64%graduate$41kearningsEarnings are reported for all 4 campuses that file with it.The Chicago School at AnaheimUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 483 on campus · 5.5 mi · Anaheim$57kearningsEarnings are reported for all 8 campuses that file with it.Graduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Bethesda UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 248 on campus · 5.6 mi · Anaheim$11knet price11%graduateWest Coast University-Orange CountyUniversity or college · For-profit · 2,873 on campus · 5.8 mi · Anaheim$33knet price60%graduate$103kearningsEarnings are reported for all 6 campuses that file with it.Grace Mission UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 121 on campus · 6 mi · Fullerton100%graduateChapman UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 9,961 on campus · 6.1 mi · Orange65%admitted$47knet price82%graduate$70kearningsSouthern California Institute of TechnologyUniversity or college · For-profit · 536 on campus · 6.3 mi · Anaheim74%admitted$33knet price74%graduate$54kearningsSouth Baylo UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 234 on campus · 6.4 mi · AnaheimGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.South Coast CollegeUniversity or college · For-profit · 241 on campus · 6.5 mi · Orange$17knet price17%graduate$45kearningsNorth-West College-AnaheimUniversity or college · For-profit · 455 on campus · 6.7 mi · Anaheim$29knet price60%graduate$40kearningsEarnings are reported for all 4 campuses that file with it.American Career College-AnaheimUniversity or college · For-profit · 1,643 on campus · 7.3 mi · Anaheim$31knet price70%graduate$38kearningsEarnings are reported for all 2 campuses that file with it.Santiago Canyon CollegeCommunity college · Public · 7,854 on campus · 7.8 mi · Orange$2knet price48%graduate$45kearningsTuition and fees: $1,164 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Southern California University of Health SciencesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 957 on campus · 7.9 mi · Whittier · mostly online$46knet price50%graduate$71kearnings52% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Santa Ana CollegeCommunity college · Public · 18,643 on campus · 8.6 mi · Santa Ana$3knet price31%graduate$44kearningsTuition and fees: $1,180 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Concorde Career College-Garden GroveUniversity or college · For-profit · 202 on campus · 8.8 mi · Garden Grove97%admitted$25knet price84%graduate$46kearningsBiola UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 4,288 on campus · 9.3 mi · La Mirada74%admitted$31knet price68%graduate$57kearningsATI College-WhittierUniversity or college · For-profit · 125 on campus · 9.7 mi · Whitter$20knet price72%graduate$39kearningsCypress CollegeCommunity college · Public · 10,494 on campus · 10.4 mi · Cypress$5knet price37%graduate$44kearningsTuition and fees: $1,150 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Career Networks InstituteUniversity or college · For-profit · 971 on campus · 11.1 mi · Santa Ana$50knet price89%graduate$45kearningsMt San Antonio CollegeCommunity college · Public · 21,946 on campus · 11.5 mi · Walnut$6knet price45%graduate$46kearningsTuition and fees: $1,364 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Whittier CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 859 on campus · 12.2 mi · Whittier81%admitted$26knet price60%graduate$59kearningsCoastline Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · 728 on campus · 12.2 mi · Fountain Valley · mostly online$16knet price34%graduate$44kearnings92% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Tuition and fees: $1,364 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.California State Polytechnic University-PomonaUniversity or college · Public · 25,991 on campus · 12.4 mi · Pomona75%admitted$12knet price68%graduate$72kearningsGolden West CollegeCommunity college · Public · 6,281 on campus · 13.3 mi · Huntington Beach$5knet price49%graduate$43kearningsTuition and fees: $1,380 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Westcliff UniversityUniversity or college · For-profit · 4,526 on campus · 13.5 mi · Irvine73%admitted$35knet price62%graduateInterCoast Colleges-West CovinaUniversity or college · For-profit · 118 on campus · 13.5 mi · West Covina · mostly online$28knet price97%graduate$36kearnings77% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Earnings are reported for all 4 campuses that file with it.Western University of Health SciencesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 3,621 on campus · 13.7 mi · PomonaGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Cerritos CollegeCommunity college · Public · 13,757 on campus · 13.9 mi · Norwalk$2knet price31%graduate$41kearningsTuition and fees: $1,364 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Pacific CollegeUniversity or college · For-profit · 238 on campus · 13.9 mi · Costa Mesa56%admitted$29knet price62%graduate$70kearningsRio Hondo CollegeCommunity college · Public · 12,523 on campus · 14 mi · Whittier$14knet price25%graduate$45kearningsTuition and fees: $1,388 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Stanbridge UniversityUniversity or college · For-profit · 2,637 on campus · 14 mi · Irvine10%admitted$45knet price62%graduate$62kearningsPCI CollegeUniversity or college · For-profit · 163 on campus · 14.1 mi · Cerritos$27knet price68%graduate$36kearningsNorth-West College-West CovinaUniversity or college · For-profit · 635 on campus · 14.3 mi · West Covina$30knet price68%graduate$38kearningsEarnings are reported for all 2 campuses that file with it.Glendale Career College-North-West College-MFSONUniversity or college · For-profit · 218 on campus · 14.3 mi · West Covina$45knet price$41kearningsEarnings are reported for all 5 campuses that file with it.Irvine Valley CollegeCommunity college · Public · 7,416 on campus · 14.9 mi · Irvine$2knet price57%graduate$49kearningsTuition and fees: $1,156 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Orange Coast CollegeCommunity college · Public · 14,830 on campus · 15 mi · Costa Mesa$7knet price48%graduate$47kearningsTuition and fees: $1,392 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.

Degree-granting colleges with 100 or more students on campus (fall 2023 enrollment, minus students who study only online). Admitted: share of applicants offered a place. Net price: the average a year after grants, for students on federal aid. Graduate: within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting.

What it costs

What would your family pay?

The average a year after grants, for families on federal aid, at the colleges within 15 miles. Pick your family’s income.

Family income

Starts at Over $110k, where Placentia’s median household income ($115,929) falls.

Cerritos College13.9 mi · Norwalk · sticker $10,236 · tuition $1,364$7,901a year
Irvine Valley College14.9 mi · Irvine · sticker $13,001 · tuition $1,156$9,432a year
Cypress College10.4 mi · Cypress · sticker $14,290 · tuition $1,150$10,001a year
Santa Ana College8.6 mi · Santa Ana · sticker $12,375 · tuition $1,180$10,160a year
Mt San Antonio College11.5 mi · Walnut · sticker $15,701 · tuition $1,364$10,852a year
Santiago Canyon College7.8 mi · Orange · sticker $13,818 · tuition $1,164$11,014a year
Fullerton College3.7 mi · Fullerton · sticker $14,369 · tuition $1,150$11,574a year
Bethesda University5.6 mi · Anaheim · sticker $13,575$13,575a year
Orange Coast College15 mi · Costa Mesa · sticker $15,561 · tuition $1,392$13,862a year
California State University-Fullerton1.8 mi · Fullerton · sticker $18,269$15,631a year
Rio Hondo College14 mi · Whittier · sticker $21,391 · tuition $1,388$17,355a year
South Coast College6.5 mi · Orange · sticker $18,982$18,982a year
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona12.4 mi · Pomona · sticker $23,955$20,716a year
Concorde Career College-Garden Grove8.8 mi · Garden Grove · sticker $29,040$26,760a year
Platt College-Anaheim5.1 mi · Anaheim · sticker $28,170$28,170a year
Whittier College12.2 mi · Whittier · sticker $63,664$30,599a year
American Career College-Anaheim7.3 mi · Anaheim · sticker $35,751$33,914a year
Hope International University1.8 mi · Fullerton · sticker $51,784$34,049a year
West Coast University-Orange County5.8 mi · Anaheim · sticker $34,887$34,887a year
Biola University9.3 mi · La Mirada · sticker $62,757$37,314a year
Southern California Institute of Technology6.3 mi · Anaheim · sticker $37,992$37,884a year
Westcliff University13.5 mi · Irvine · sticker $44,210$40,799a year
Stanbridge University14 mi · Irvine · sticker $49,714$49,714a year
Career Networks Institute11.1 mi · Santa Ana · sticker $52,552$52,552a year
Chapman University6.1 mi · Orange · sticker $83,146$55,066a year
North-West College-Anaheim6.7 mi · Anaheim · sticker $31,922—a year
Southern California University of Health Sciences7.9 mi · Whittier · mostly online · sticker $57,740—a year
ATI College-Whittier9.7 mi · Whitter · sticker $29,726—a year
Coastline Community College12.2 mi · Fountain Valley · mostly online · sticker $24,290 · tuition $1,364—a year
Golden West College13.3 mi · Huntington Beach · sticker $14,618 · tuition $1,380—a year
InterCoast Colleges-West Covina13.5 mi · West Covina · mostly online · sticker $35,442—a year
Pacific College13.9 mi · Costa Mesa · sticker $30,789—a year
PCI College14.1 mi · Cerritos · sticker $33,852—a year
North-West College-West Covina14.3 mi · West Covina · sticker $34,193—a year
Glendale Career College-North-West College-MFSON14.3 mi · West Covina · sticker $49,247—a year

The average a year after grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time students on federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Your own price depends on your aid package; every college has a net price calculator. For community colleges the net price counts housing and food at full cost, so tuition is shown beside it. “—”: not reported for that income.

Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay?

Each dot is a college within 15 miles of Placentia: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.

$0$20k$40k$60k$80k$100k$120k0%25%50%75%100%Graduate →California State University-FullertonSanta Ana CollegeMt San Antonio CollegeCalifornia State Polytechnic University-PomonaCerritos CollegeOrange Coast College
California State University-Fullerton70% graduate$63k earnings$14k typical debt
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona68% graduate$72k earnings$16k typical debt
Mt San Antonio College45% graduate$46k earnings$6k typical debt
Santa Ana College31% graduate$44k earnings$7k typical debt
Orange Coast College48% graduate$47k earnings$10k typical debt
Cerritos College31% graduate$41k earnings$8k typical debt
Fullerton College34% graduate$43k earnings$4k typical debt
Rio Hondo College25% graduate$45k earnings$6k typical debt
Cypress College37% graduate$44k earnings$10k typical debt
Chapman University82% graduate$70k earnings$20k typical debt
Santiago Canyon College48% graduate$45k earnings$5k typical debt
Irvine Valley College57% graduate$49k earnings$6k typical debt

Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid. *Reported for all the campuses that file together: Platt College-Anaheim (4); West Coast University-Orange County (6); North-West College-Anaheim (4); American Career College-Anaheim (2); InterCoast Colleges-West Covina (4); North-West College-West Covina (2).

Questions about college near Placentia

Is Placentia a college town?

No. About 8 of every 100 Placentia residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), about the same as California (8). The nearest campus, California State University-Fullerton, is 1.8 miles away in Fullerton.

What colleges are near Placentia?

41 colleges are within 15 miles. The largest: California State University-Fullerton (1.8 miles, 38,210 students on campus), California State Polytechnic University-Pomona (12.4 miles, 25,991) and Mt San Antonio College (11.5 miles, 21,946).

What is the closest community college to Placentia, and what does it cost?

Fullerton College in Fullerton, 3.7 miles away. Tuition and fees are $1,150 a year for California residents; the federal net price, $6,134, counts housing and food at full cost.

How much does California State University-Fullerton cost if we live in California?

Tuition and fees are $7,470 a year in-state and $20,070 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $3,315 (under $30,000 income) to $15,631 (over $110,000), housing and food included.

Neighbors talk college

Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023 enrollment). “On campus” is fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Distances are straight-line from the center of Placentia. Residents in college, age, rent and poverty (including poverty without college students, table B14006): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–24. Colleges are described, not graded; the College town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents are enrolled. How TownRatings describes colleges →