How much does youth hockey cost in California?

2026-2027 season estimates • Updated October 2026 • Built from published program fees and family reports

All-in season cost by level

This is the full season, not just registration. Ice, travel, tournaments, and equipment usually add up to more than the sign-up fee.

LevelEstimated 12U season cost
House
C
$4,200 – $7,600
B
B2
$7,200 – $13,800
BB
B1
$10,300 – $19,000
A
$11,900 – $22,700
Reported median: $17,156 (5 families)
AA
$13,300 – $25,300
AAA
$19,400 – $36,600

How the levels work here

AA only becomes a statewide CAHA league at 14U and up. At 12U it is a division inside SCAHA or NORCAL, and at 10U those two leagues top out at A. The AAA row means the three Tier 1 Elite clubs: Jr. Ducks, Jr. Kings and Jr. Sharks. Their T1EHL divisions run 12U through 18U. The 10U and 11U teams they label AAA play in SCAHA 12U divisions. BB sits between B and A. High school hockey (the SHSHL) is not priced here.

Where the money goes

A typical 12U A season in California, about $17,300. Follows the age picked above.

Assumes 3 tournaments, each a 2 to 6 hour drive with 2 hotel nights, two parents and a sibling travelling.

  • Registration$6,51038%
  • Tournament travel$6,20036%
  • Development$1,4008%
  • Local travel$1,3008%
Estimated from published California program fees and family reports

House in California runs 34% above the national average.

How does your season compare?

Add your own costs from last season, any club, any level, to get a full breakdown to budget this season.

Get my breakdown

Costs added by real families

Hidden costs

  • Registration is a minority of a California season.
  • In our 12U House estimate the sign-up fee is about $950 of a $4,625 total.
  • Local travel at $1,117, the same line in every California scenario, and rink life at $931 together outweigh it.
  • Move up a letter and tournament travel takes over: about $3,400 of a 12U A season, $4,640 at 14U AA, and $7,926 at 14U AAA.
  • At 18U AA, 6 of the 13 rated CAHA teams also carry a NAPHL showcase division, and 5 of the 21 teams at 16U AA do the same, so ask whether showcase weekends sit inside the team fee.
  • One family reported about $47,000 all-in for a 14U AAA season with the Jr. Ducks, and two family reports put 14U AA at the California Jr. Reign at $19,870.

Savings tips

  • Financial assistance in California is club by club, so ask your own club what it offers.
  • Do not budget around the Anaheim Ducks S.C.O.R.E. program: the Ducks Foundation describes it as a free in-school curriculum reaching over 300 schools, not a scholarship.
  • The bigger lever is that the same letter costs very different amounts across the state.
  • Families reported 12U A seasons at $8,000 with the Carlsbad Mavericks, $14,600 at the LA Jr. Kings (two reports), and $21,650 at Ontario Empire.
  • Ask each club’s registrar directly about installment plans, goalie pricing, and sibling discounts before tryouts.
  • SCAHA’s site carries schedules and standings, not fees, and we hold zero published California club fees in our data.
See financial assistance for California families

Hockey in California

Your child's team will have a letter: House, B, BB, A, AA or AAA. That letter sets most of the cost, so find it in the table above. BB sits between B and A. The table is our estimate of a full season.

More about California hockey

California hockey runs under one affiliate, the California Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA), inside USA Hockey's Pacific District. CAHA splits the state into three districts for youth play: NORCAL, SOCAL, and San Diego/Imperial. Cross-district rostering restrictions took effect in the 2025-26 season. Southern clubs play in SCAHA, with 24 clubs and 145 rated teams in our data. Northern clubs play in NORCAL, with 13 clubs and 83 teams. AA at 14U, 16U and 18U is pulled up into a statewide CAHA league. Neither regional league runs AAA. Tier I is three clubs: the Anaheim Jr. Ducks, LA Jr. Kings and San Jose Jr. Sharks. Their 12U through 18U teams play in the national Tier 1 Elite Hockey League. The Jr. Sharks also field girls Tier 1 teams at 12U, 14U, 16U and 19U.

Other clubs in our index include Orange County HC in Yorba Linda, Aliso Viejo Avalanche, Santa Clarita Flyers and California Wave in Irvine. There are also California Jr. Reign in Riverside, Ontario Empire, San Diego Jr. Gulls in Poway and SDIA Oilers in San Diego. The rest are Tri-Valley Blue Devils in Dublin, Santa Clara Blackhawks, Oakland Bears, Roseville Capital Thunder and Stockton Colts.

Hockey programs in California

Season cost estimates and family-reported costs for 48 programs.

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See the best value teams in California

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Youth hockey cost 2026: $3,000 to $23,100 a season, by state

State-by-state cost breakdown for 2026

Hockey cost by level: House $3,000 to AAA $23,100 (2026)

Detailed level-by-level cost comparison

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