Best California Colleges
With its desirable climate, dynamic cities, huge economy and reputation the global leader in technology, California is a highly desirable state for students to choose to attend college. The state is home to world-renowned research universities like Stanford and CalTech. The University of California (UC) system has ten campuses serving over a quarter of a million students. The UC system is home to the extremely competitive and rival colleges UCLA and UC Berkeley. The CSU system is the largest public four-year university system in the US and enrolls nearly a half million students per year. Also significant is the California Community Colleges system, the largest of its kind, which serves 2.1 million students through its 2-year programs at 116 colleges. Notable highly rated small liberal arts schools like Pomona, Harvey Mudd and Claremont McKenna also call the Golden State home.
There are 278 colleges and universities in California enrolling 2,544,910 students. Explore the list of top colleges in California below to begin your college search. The CollegeSimply rankings are objective and data-driven in order to help you find good matches for you. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page. Whether you're searching for a good public, private or community college, this guide to universities in California offers a comprehensive view to the state's higher education options.
California is home to nationally ranked institutions like Stanford University, California Institute of Technology, Claremont McKenna College and Pomona College. The highest ranked college in California is Stanford University and the top rated public state college is University of California Berkeley.
Local college options can be explored in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco or other cities.
List of the Best California Colleges
Notre Dame de Namur University
- Private 4 Year
- Belmont, CA
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- SAT Range -
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.1
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price -
Ohlone College
- Public 2 Year
- Fremont, CA
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Ohlone is a public community college known for undergraduate deaf studies, ASL interpreting, and nursing. The main campus is in Fremont in California's East Bay.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $18,639
Orange Coast College
- Public 2 Year
- Costa Mesa, CA
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Orange Coast is a public community college known for undergraduate marine science, culinary arts, and aviation. The Costa Mesa campus sits near the Southern California coast.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $9,116
Oxnard College
- Public 2 Year
- Oxnard, CA
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Oxnard College is a public community college offering associate degrees and certificates with programs in agriculture, health sciences, and business. The campus is located in the coastal city of Oxnard in Ventura County.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $1,085
Palo Alto University
- Private 4 Year
- Palo Alto, CA
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- Aug 31 application deadline
Palo Alto University is a private university known for undergraduate programs in psychology and behavioral sciences. The campus is located in Palo Alto in Silicon Valley.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price -
Pacific Oaks College
- Private 4 Year
- Pasadena, CA
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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
- Acceptance Rate 34%
- Net Price -
Pacific States University
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
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Pacific States is a private university known for undergraduate business and computer science. The urban campus is located in central Los Angeles.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price -
Pacific Union College
- Private 4 Year
- Angwin, CA
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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
- Acceptance Rate 47%
- Net Price $22,767
Palo Verde College
- Public 2 Year
- Blythe, CA
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Palo Verde College is a public community college offering associate degrees and certificate programs for transfer and career training. The Blythe campus sits near the Colorado River on California's border with Arizona.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $22,492
Palomar College
- Public 2 Year
- San Marcos, CA
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Palomar is a public community college known for nursing and fire technology programs. The suburban campus is in San Marcos in northern San Diego County.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $8,372
Pasadena City College
- Public 2 Year
- Pasadena, CA
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Pasadena City College is a public community college known for undergraduate transfer pathways to UC campuses and programs in the visual arts. The urban campus sits in Pasadena northeast of downtown Los Angeles.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $6,888
Pitzer College
- Private 4 Year
- Claremont, CA
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- 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
- Acceptance Rate 25%
- Net Price $34,979
Porterville College
- Public 2 Year
- Porterville, CA
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Porterville College is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing and agriculture programs. The campus serves a small Central Valley city surrounded by farmland.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $14,733
Santa Ana College
- Public 2 Year
- Santa Ana, CA
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- Apr 1 application deadline
Santa Ana College is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing, business, and university transfer programs. The urban campus sits in central Santa Ana in Orange County.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $5,894
College of the Redwoods
- Public 2 Year
- Eureka, CA
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College of the Redwoods is a public community college known for associate programs in forestry, natural resources, and nursing. The Eureka campus sits among redwood forests on California's North Coast.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $9,400
Rio Hondo College
- Public 2 Year
- Whittier, CA
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- Aug 20 application deadline
Rio Hondo is a public community college known for administration of justice, fire technology, and police academy training. The hillside campus sits in Whittier in southeastern Los Angeles County.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $16,449
Riverside City College
- Public 2 Year
- Riverside, CA
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- Oct 20 application deadline
Riverside City College is a public community college known for nursing and transfer-focused academic programs. The urban campus lies in downtown Riverside in Southern California's Inland Empire.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $10,174
Sacramento City College
- Public 2 Year
- Sacramento, CA
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Sacramento City College is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing, allied health, and transfer preparation. The urban campus is in Sacramento's Curtis Park neighborhood.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $8,624