Most Selective California Colleges
California has 32 four-year colleges that accept 50% or fewer of applicants, ranked from most to least selective.
California Institute of Technology is the hardest to get into in California, accepting just 3% of 13,856 applicants. Also highly selective: Minerva University, Stanford University and Pomona College.
Selectivity does not always equal academic difficulty. Some schools admit a small share of applicants because demand exceeds capacity, not because admission standards are extreme. If you need safety schools, see our highest acceptance rate colleges in California. For academically demanding options, explore colleges with the highest SAT, highest ACT, and highest GPA averages.
California Institute of Technology
- Private 4 Year
- Pasadena, CA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- 3% acceptance rate
- Jan 3 application deadline
Caltech is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate physics, engineering, and chemistry. Most undergrads live on the compact residential campus in Pasadena.
- SAT Range 1530-1580
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.97
- Net Price $14,513
Minerva University
- Private 4 Year
- San Francisco, California
-
| 0 reviews
- 3% acceptance rate
Minerva is a highly selective private university known for an interdisciplinary undergraduate curriculum taught through small, seminar-style classes. Students live in successive residence halls across a rotation of global cities rather than on one traditional campus.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Net Price $13,324
Stanford University
- Private 4 Year
- Stanford, CA
-
4.8 | 6 reviews
- 4% acceptance rate
- Jan 2 application deadline
Stanford is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate computer science, engineering, and entrepreneurship. The suburban campus sits in the heart of Silicon Valley.
- SAT Range 1510-1580
- Avg GPA 3.96
- Net Price $25,078
Pomona College
- Private 4 Year
- Claremont, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 7% acceptance rate
- Jan 8 application deadline
Pomona is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics, biology, and politics. Students live on a residential campus and can cross-enroll across the adjoining Claremont Colleges.
- SAT Range 1490-1560
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.89
- Net Price $19,938
University of California Los Angeles
- Public 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
- 9% acceptance rate
- Nov 30 application deadline
UCLA is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate film, television, and theater. The urban Westwood campus also has a nationally known basketball program.
- SAT Range 1300-1530
- Avg GPA 3.92
- Net Price $14,512
Claremont McKenna College
- Private 4 Year
- Claremont, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 10% acceptance rate
- Jan 5 application deadline
Claremont McKenna is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics, government, and international relations. Students live on a residential campus that shares classes and facilities with the neighboring Claremont Colleges.
- SAT Range 1470-1560
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.89
- Net Price $33,895
University of Southern California
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
-
4.2 | 5 reviews
- 10% acceptance rate
USC is a highly selective private university known for undergraduate film, communications, and business. The urban Los Angeles campus has a large Greek presence and longstanding ties to the entertainment industry.
- SAT Range 1450-1550
- Avg GPA 3.83
- Net Price $43,412
University of California Berkeley
- Public 4 Year
- Berkeley, CA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- 11% acceptance rate
- Nov 30 application deadline
Berkeley is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate computer science, engineering, and chemistry. The hillside campus overlooks San Francisco Bay in the East Bay city of Berkeley.
- SAT Range 1310-1530
- Avg GPA 3.87
- Net Price $16,538
Harvey Mudd College
- Private 4 Year
- Claremont, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- 13% acceptance rate
- Jan 5 application deadline
Harvey Mudd is a highly selective private college known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and mathematics. It is one of the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of adjoining campuses where students can cross-enroll.
- SAT Range 1500-1570
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.96
- Net Price $43,966
Northeastern University Oakland
- Private 4 Year
- Oakland, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 17% acceptance rate
Northeastern Oakland is a private university campus, formerly Mills College, known for undergraduate liberal arts. The historic campus sits in a residential area of Oakland.
- SAT Range 1420-1520
- Avg GPA 3.57
- Net Price $27,473
Pitzer College
- Private 4 Year
- Claremont, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 25% acceptance rate
- Jan 1 application deadline
Pitzer is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate environmental analysis, media studies, and the social sciences. Students cross-enroll across the Claremont Colleges on a residential campus in Claremont.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.93
- Net Price $34,979
University of California San Diego
- Public 4 Year
- La Jolla, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 27% acceptance rate
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC San Diego is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate biological sciences, engineering, and oceanography. The coastal La Jolla campus sits on bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
- SAT Range 1270-1480
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.82
- Net Price $14,047
University of California Irvine
- Public 4 Year
- Irvine, CA
-
5.0 | 2 reviews
- 29% acceptance rate
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Irvine is a large public university known for undergraduate computer science, biological sciences, and engineering. The suburban campus centers on Aldrich Park in the planned city of Irvine.
- SAT Range 1230-1430
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.75
- Net Price $15,889
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
- Public 4 Year
- San Luis Obispo, CA
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- 31% acceptance rate
- Nov 30 application deadline
Cal Poly is a public polytechnic university known for undergraduate engineering, architecture, and agriculture. Students study on a Central Coast campus in the college town of San Luis Obispo.
- SAT Range 1220-1410
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Net Price $17,453
San Diego Christian College
- Private 4 Year
- Santee, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 31% acceptance rate
San Diego Christian is a small private Christian college known for undergraduate biblical studies and aviation. The suburban campus sits in Santee east of San Diego.
- SAT Range 900-1098
- Avg GPA 3.26
- Net Price $21,199
California Institute of the Arts
- Private 4 Year
- Valencia, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 32% acceptance rate
- Jan 5 application deadline
CalArts is a highly selective private arts college known for undergraduate animation, film, and the performing arts. The suburban campus is in Valencia, north of Los Angeles.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Net Price $56,239
University of California Santa Barbara
- Public 4 Year
- Santa Barbara, CA
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- 33% acceptance rate
- Nov 30 application deadline
UCSB is a highly selective public university known for undergraduate physics, marine science, and environmental studies. The oceanfront campus sits directly on the Pacific coast near Santa Barbara.
- SAT Range 1230-1460
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.82
- Net Price $17,658
Hope International University
- Private 4 Year
- Fullerton, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 33% acceptance rate
- Aug 20 application deadline
Hope International is a private Christian university known for undergraduate ministry, biblical studies, and education. The suburban campus sits in Fullerton in Orange County.
- SAT Range 840-1220
- Avg GPA 3.26
- Net Price $29,896
Pacific Oaks College
- Private 4 Year
- Pasadena, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 34% acceptance rate
Pacific Oaks is a private college known for undergraduate early childhood education and human development. The campus is located in Pasadena in the Los Angeles metro area.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Net Price -
San Diego State University
- Public 4 Year
- San Diego, CA
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- 36% acceptance rate
- Nov 30 application deadline
SDSU is a large public university known for undergraduate international business, hospitality management, and communications. The urban campus sits in San Diego's College Area with Spanish Colonial Revival buildings.
- SAT Range 1090-1300
- Avg GPA 3.82
- Net Price $14,704
Scripps College
- Private 4 Year
- Claremont, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- 38% acceptance rate
- Jan 15 application deadline
Scripps is a private women's liberal arts college known for undergraduate arts, humanities, and its interdisciplinary Core Curriculum. Most students live on the residential campus and take classes across the Claremont Colleges consortium.
- SAT Range 1440-1540
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Net Price $44,396
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- 39% acceptance rate
- Jul 30 application deadline
Charles Drew University is a private university known for undergraduate nursing and biomedical sciences. The urban campus in South Los Angeles is a historically Black health sciences institution.
- SAT Range -
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.26
- Net Price $35,558
SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary
- Private 4 Year
- El Dorado Hills, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 41% acceptance rate
- Aug 1 application deadline
SUM is a private Bible college known for undergraduate biblical studies, theology, and ministry. The campus is in El Dorado Hills in the Sacramento-area Sierra foothills.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Net Price $22,276
University of California Davis
- Public 4 Year
- Davis, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- 42% acceptance rate
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Davis is a large public university known for undergraduate agriculture, environmental science, and biological sciences. The campus sits in the bike-friendly college town of Davis.
- SAT Range 1160-1400
- Avg GPA 4.0
- Net Price $17,270
Casa Loma College Los Angeles
- Private 4 Year
- Sherman Oaks, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 43% acceptance rate
Casa Loma College is a private career college known for undergraduate allied health programs in MRI technology, physical therapist assisting, and surgical technology. The campus is in Sherman Oaks in the Los Angeles area.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Net Price $28,167
Soka University of America
- Private 4 Year
- Aliso Viejo, CA
-
4.7 | 18 reviews
- 43% acceptance rate
- Jan 15 application deadline
Soka is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate international studies and a required study-abroad semester. The residential campus sits in the hills of Aliso Viejo in Orange County.
- SAT Range 1333-1510
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Net Price $15,691
Occidental College
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
-
4.5 | 2 reviews
- 44% acceptance rate
- Jan 10 application deadline
Occidental is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate politics, international relations, and the sciences. The residential campus sits in Los Angeles's Eagle Rock neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1380-1520
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Net Price $48,400
Loyola Marymount University
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 45% acceptance rate
- Jan 15 application deadline
Loyola Marymount is a private Jesuit university known for undergraduate film and television, business, and communications. The bluff-top Los Angeles campus overlooks the Pacific Ocean.
- SAT Range 1260-1430
- Avg GPA 3.92
- Net Price $59,926
California State University Long Beach
- Public 4 Year
- Long Beach, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- 46% acceptance rate
- Nov 30 application deadline
Cal State Long Beach is a large public university known for undergraduate art and design, nursing, and business. The campus sits near the Pacific coast in the Los Angeles metro area.
- SAT Range 1020-1240
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Net Price $10,607
The Chicago School at Los Angeles
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 46% acceptance rate
The Chicago School at Los Angeles is a private university known for undergraduate psychology and behavioral sciences. The urban Los Angeles campus centers on professional programs in those fields.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Net Price -
Pacific Union College
- Private 4 Year
- Angwin, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- 47% acceptance rate
Pacific Union College is a private Seventh-day Adventist liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing and theology. The rural campus sits in the hills above Napa Valley.
- SAT Range 930-1190
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.24
- Net Price $22,767
Santa Clara University
- Private 4 Year
- Santa Clara, CA
-
4.9 | 14 reviews
- 48% acceptance rate
- Jan 7 application deadline
Santa Clara is a private Jesuit university known for undergraduate business and engineering. The historic campus sits in the heart of Silicon Valley.
- SAT Range 1350-1490
- Avg GPA 3.67
- Net Price $53,883