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A complete reference for prom and graduation season across Los Angeles County — when each happens, the most popular venues, how high school and college ceremonies line up, and a dedicated section for families and students in the San Fernando Valley.
In Los Angeles County, prom and graduation are packed into roughly a six-week window from late April through mid-June. Proms dominate the first three weekends of May. High school graduations dominate the first two weeks of June. College commencements bridge the two: USC, CSUN, LMU, Pepperdine, and Occidental typically finish by mid-May, while UCLA, community colleges, and Caltech extend into mid-June.
Because LA County is home to more than 80 public school districts and hundreds of private and charter schools — spanning LAUSD, Long Beach USD, Pasadena USD, Burbank USD, Glendale USD, Las Virgenes USD, Santa Monica-Malibu USD, and more — there is no single shared calendar. This page documents the typical windows, the most-used venues, and the region-specific patterns that make Los Angeles prom and graduation planning unique.
Public high schools tend to schedule prom after state testing wraps up in late April. Many LAUSD, Burbank, and Glendale schools target the first or second Saturday of May. Private schools with AP-heavy calendars often push prom into late May, after AP exams end, and some schedule into the first week of June. "Senior Ball" and "Senior Prom" are used interchangeably at many LA schools.
Most LA County public high schools hold a single combined junior/senior prom open to 11th and 12th graders. A subset of schools — particularly some private schools — hold separate junior prom (March or April) and senior prom (May) events. Winter formals in December or January are common but are distinct from prom.
Schools in LA County host prom at a wide mix of ballrooms, museums, restaurants, yachts, and cultural centers. The venues below are used year after year by multiple high schools across the region.
The Los Angeles Unified School District — the second largest school district in the United States — sets a shared last day of school, but each high school schedules its own graduation. Most LAUSD high schools graduate on a weekday evening in the final week of school. Popular off-campus LAUSD graduation venues include Shrine Auditorium, Galen Center at USC, the Greek Theatre, the Dolby Theatre, the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live, and — for Valley schools — The Soraya at CSUN.
LA County is home to dozens of large independent and parochial high schools that graduate on their own schedules, most often in the last week of May or first week of June. Examples include Harvard-Westlake (Studio City/Holmby Hills), Brentwood School, Marlborough, Crossroads, Windward, Buckley, Marymount, Loyola High, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), Louisville, Chaminade, Campbell Hall, Oakwood, Viewpoint, Archer, Flintridge Prep, Polytechnic (Pasadena), Westridge, Milken Community School, New Roads, Crespi Carmelite, Alemany, Sierra Canyon, and many more.
| Institution | Typical commencement window | Main venue |
|---|---|---|
| USC (University of Southern California) | Mid-May | Alumni Park & college satellite ceremonies, University Park Campus |
| UCLA | Mid-June | Pauley Pavilion & Drake Stadium, Westwood |
| Cal State Northridge (CSUN) | Mid-May (5 days of ceremonies by college) | CSUN campus, near Oviatt Library |
| Cal State LA | Mid-May | University-Student Union Plaza |
| Loyola Marymount University | Early May | Sunken Garden, Westchester |
| Pepperdine University | Late April / early May | Alumni Park, Malibu |
| Occidental College | Mid-May | Remsen Bird Hillside Theater, Eagle Rock |
| Caltech | Mid-June | Caltech Athenaeum area, Pasadena |
| Mount Saint Mary's University | Early May | Chalon Campus, Brentwood |
| Art Center College of Design | Spring and fall ceremonies | Hillside Campus, Pasadena |
| Pasadena City College | Early to mid-June | Robinson Stadium, Pasadena |
| Santa Monica College | Mid-June | SMC Corsair Field |
| LA Valley College | Early to mid-June | Monarch Stadium, Valley Glen |
| Pierce College | Early to mid-June | Rocky Young Park / Joe Kelly Field, Woodland Hills |
| Los Angeles City College | Early to mid-June | LACC campus, East Hollywood |
| East LA College | Early to mid-June | Weingart Stadium, Monterey Park |
San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley — roughly 1.8 million residents across communities including North Hollywood, Studio City, Burbank, Glendale, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana, Woodland Hills, Calabasas, Chatsworth, Northridge, Granada Hills, Porter Ranch, Reseda, Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta, Pacoima, Sylmar, San Fernando, Mission Hills, and Sun Valley — is home to more than three dozen high schools and two of the largest higher-ed campuses in LA County. Prom and graduation in the Valley have their own patterns, venues, and logistics.
Nearby Burbank Unified (Burbank High, Burroughs High, Burbank Community Day) and Glendale Unified (Glendale High, Hoover High, Crescenta Valley High, Clark Magnet, Daily High) are sometimes considered part of the Valley's prom and graduation ecosystem because many students and venues are shared across district lines.
Hillside restaurant and event venue with panoramic views of the Valley and downtown LA. A perennial favorite for Burbank USD, Glendale USD, and LAUSD Valley schools.
Clifftop venue off the 118 with 360-degree views of the northern Valley. Hosts proms for Granada Hills Charter, Kennedy, Chatsworth, Cleveland, Taft, Monroe, and many nearby schools.
Large, modern ballroom on Brand Boulevard with a rooftop terrace. A popular choice for Glendale USD high schools.
Large ballroom with multiple configurations, often used for private-school proms and bat/bar mitzvahs alongside high school formals.
Twin full-service hotels at the top of the Universal City hill with large ballrooms and walkable access to CityWalk for after-prom activities.
Mid-century resort-style hotel in NoHo with a poolside garden and ballroom spaces.
Select Valley-area private schools have held proms on studio backlots or at studio-side event spaces. Availability and pricing are typically handled through each studio's private events team.
Technically in the Malibu hills but west of the Valley via the 101. Used by many West Valley and Conejo Valley schools for prom.
A 1,700-seat concert hall that has become a go-to graduation venue for Valley high schools and private schools seeking a professional indoor ceremony.
Outdoor amphitheater in the Verdugo Mountains. A traditional graduation venue for Burbank High and Burroughs High.
Historic 1925 theater on Brand Boulevard used for Glendale USD graduations and smaller private-school ceremonies.
Hosts Pierce College's own commencement as well as graduations for several West Valley high schools.
Central-Valley stadium that hosts LAVC commencement and select LAUSD Valley high school ceremonies.
Many Valley high schools — including Birmingham, Granada Hills Charter, Taft, El Camino Real, Cleveland, Chatsworth, Chaminade, Sierra Canyon, and Notre Dame — hold graduation on their own football fields or stadiums. This is typically the default, with off-campus venues reserved for weather backup or larger classes.
Cal State Northridge is the academic anchor of the Valley. CSUN holds commencement across four to five days in mid-May, with separate ceremonies for each of the university's eight colleges. Approximately 11,000 students earn degrees each year, making CSUN one of the largest graduation events in the entire Valley. Pierce College, in Woodland Hills, holds its commencement in early to mid-June at Rocky Young Park.
Grad Night at Disneyland is the most famous end-of-year tradition in Southern California. Disneyland and California Adventure host private overnight events across multiple May and June dates, and LA County high schools bus seniors to Anaheim after their graduation ceremony. Universal Studios Grad Bash is the most convenient equivalent for San Fernando Valley schools and runs on select May and June nights. Other popular Grad Night options include Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia and Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park.
Beyond Grad Night, typical LA County traditions include senior sunrise and senior sunset photo gatherings (often at Santa Monica Pier, Griffith Observatory, or Zuma Beach), yearbook signing picnics, baccalaureate services at partner churches, and senior award nights.
Party buses and limos are heavily booked from mid-April through early June — expect to book 6 to 8 weeks in advance. Many Valley families rideshare to central prom venues, then use a designated driver or ride service for the return. Uber and Lyft surge pricing on prom weekends can be significant, so ride budgets should reflect that. Some venues (especially Malibu-area ranches) have limited parking and require shuttle service arranged by the school.
Tuxedo rentals from Friar Tux, Men's Wearhouse, and local Valley formalwear shops (including stops along Ventura Boulevard) book up by early April. Dress shopping peaks in February and March at locations like the Glendale Galleria, Westfield Topanga, NoHo West, Americana at Brand, and the Grove. Many schools run formal-dress donation drives so that cost is not a barrier.
Most schools hire an official prom photographer, but groups of students frequently book a pre-prom photo session with a local photographer at a scenic location. Popular Valley photo backdrops include the Japanese Garden in Van Nuys, the Los Angeles River greenway in Studio City, Stoney Point in Chatsworth, Wilacre Park in Studio City, and the NoHo Arts District murals.
A realistic LA County prom budget per student is roughly:
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Prom ticket | $90–$180 (public) / $150–$300 (private) |
| Dress or tux | $120–$600 (purchase) / $80–$250 (rental) |
| Hair, makeup, nails | $75–$300 |
| Transportation (shared) | $40–$150 |
| Dinner | $30–$100 |
| Photos (shared group shoot) | $20–$80 |
| Corsage / boutonnière | $20–$50 |
| Total | ~$395–$1,760 |
Prom season in LA County runs from late April through early June, with the heaviest concentration of proms on the first three Saturday nights of May. Private schools on AP-heavy calendars often schedule prom into late May or the first week of June.
Most LAUSD high school graduations fall between June 5 and June 12. Burbank USD, Glendale USD, Pasadena USD, and Long Beach USD generally graduate in the same two-week window. Private and parochial schools most often graduate in late May or the first week of June.
USC, CSUN, Cal State LA, LMU, Pepperdine, and Occidental typically hold commencement between late April and mid-May. UCLA, Caltech, and community colleges including Pierce, LAVC, Santa Monica College, and Pasadena City College hold commencement in early to mid-June.
Across LA County: Vibiana, The Majestic Downtown, Union Station, Taglyan Complex, Exchange LA, The Reef DTLA, Skirball Cultural Center, Natural History Museum, California Science Center, The Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, Calamigos Ranch, and the DTLA hotel ballrooms at the Biltmore, JW Marriott, and InterContinental.
The Castaway in Burbank, The Odyssey Restaurant in Granada Hills, Brandview Ballroom in Glendale, Renaissance Banquet Hall in Glendale, Sheraton Universal and Hilton Universal City, The Garland in North Hollywood, Warner Bros. Studios (by arrangement), and Calamigos Ranch in Malibu/Calabasas just over the hill. Taglyan Complex in Hollywood is also popular with Valley schools because it is one pass away.
Most Valley high schools graduate on their own football fields. Common off-campus venues include The Soraya at CSUN, the Starlight Bowl in Burbank, the Alex Theatre in Glendale, the Pierce College stadium in Woodland Hills, and Monarch Stadium at LA Valley College in Valley Glen.
Cal State Northridge holds commencement in mid-May across four to five days, with separate ceremonies for each of the university's eight colleges. Ceremonies are held on the CSUN campus in Northridge. Check the official CSUN commencement page for the specific 2026 dates.
Pierce College in Woodland Hills typically holds commencement in early to mid-June at Rocky Young Park or Joe Kelly Field on campus.
Prom tickets at public high schools in LA County generally run $90–$180 per person. Including attire, transportation, dinner, and photos, a typical total cost per student is roughly $400–$1,200. Private-school proms and after-parties can push costs higher.
Grad Night is an all-night, alcohol-free senior celebration. The best-known versions are the private after-hours events at Disneyland in Anaheim and Universal Studios Hollywood's Grad Bash in Universal City. Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia and Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park also run Grad Night events. Universal Studios is the most convenient for San Fernando Valley schools.
Most LA County high schools allow outside guests, but the host student has to submit an approved guest pass in advance, usually signed by both students' administrators. Guests are typically required to be current high school students or recent graduates under a certain age limit (often 21). Check the specific host school's policy.
This page is reviewed on a rolling basis. The "last updated" date appears near the top. For the exact 2026 date of any specific ceremony, confirm against the school or college's official communications.
