Catholic colleges that pay for themselves fastest in California
Catholic colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Catholic colleges that pay for themselves fastest in California7 schools
7 schools qualify, ranked by payback years.
How this list is made
- Schools in California.
- Catholic undergraduate colleges on the Compass. Seminaries and graduate-only schools are not counted.
- Faith grade B or better (Faith score 70 or higher). Cost and outcomes never change a grade.
- Has median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 12, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA · Private nonprofit- Pays back in about 3.2 years
- Earnings $86,522 ten years out
- 2
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofit- Pays back in about 3.3 years
- Earnings $109,183 ten years out
- 3Tie
Saint Mary's College of California
Moraga, CA · Private nonprofit- Pays back in about 4.0 years
- Earnings $78,812 ten years out
- 3Tie
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofit- Pays back in about 4.0 years
- Earnings $89,812 ten years out
- 5
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit- Pays back in about 6.5 years
- Earnings $78,349 ten years out
- 6
Thomas Aquinas College
Santa Paula, CA · Private nonprofit- Pays back in about 14.4 years
- Earnings $55,619 ten years out
- 7
John Paul the Great Catholic University
Escondido, CA · Private nonprofit- Pays back in about 16.2 years
- Earnings $56,930 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of San Diego | $30,365 | $22,940 | $86,522 | 84% |
| Santa Clara University | $50,062 | $19,162 | $109,183 | 88% |
| Saint Mary's College of California | $30,378 | $23,691 | $78,812 | 70% |
| University of San Francisco | $41,431 | $23,000 | $89,812 | 70% |
| Loyola Marymount University | $48,381 | $19,500 | $78,349 | 79% |
| Thomas Aquinas College | $26,196 | $18,000 | $55,619 | 84% |
| John Paul the Great Catholic University | $34,666 | $26,968 | $56,930 | 64% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.