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
Woodbury University
- Private 4 Year
- Burbank, CA
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| 0 reviews
Woodbury is a private university known for undergraduate architecture, design, and media arts. The urban Burbank campus sits near Los Angeles's entertainment and design industries.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 3.39
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $37,258
Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical Seminary
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
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| 0 reviews
Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad is a private Chabad Talmudical seminary known for undergraduate Talmud and Torah study. The urban Los Angeles campus serves as a West Coast center for Chabad rabbinical training.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 58%
- Net Price $15,330
Yuba College
- Public 2 Year
- Marysville, CA
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3.0 | 1 reviews
Yuba College is a public community college with associate programs in nursing and agriculture. Most students commute to the small-city campus in Marysville in California's Sacramento Valley.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $4,973
Antioch University Los Angeles
- Private 4 Year
- Culver City, CA
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| 0 reviews
Antioch University Los Angeles is a private university known for undergraduate liberal arts programs for adult and nontraditional students. Most undergrads commute to a nonresidential campus in Culver City.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price -
Antioch University Santa Barbara
- Private 4 Year
- Santa Barbara, CA
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Antioch Santa Barbara is a private university known for undergraduate psychology and liberal studies. The small campus is located in central Santa Barbara.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price -
Platt College Los Angeles
- Private 4 Year
- Alhambra, CA
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $27,195
San Joaquin Valley College Fresno
- Private 2 Year
- Fresno, California
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $25,186
Las Positas College
- Public 2 Year
- Livermore, CA
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5.0 | 1 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Las Positas is a public community college known for undergraduate transfer pathways and career technical programs. The campus is in Livermore in California's East Bay Tri-Valley region.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $8,669
Pacific College of Health and Science
- Private 4 Year
- San Diego, CA
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $51,918
Copper Mountain Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Joshua Tree, CA
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| 0 reviews
Copper Mountain is a public community college offering associate degrees and career certificate programs. The high-desert campus is located in Joshua Tree near Joshua Tree National Park.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $9,827
Santiago Canyon College
- Public 2 Year
- Orange, CA
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| 0 reviews
Santiago Canyon College is a public community college known for transfer pathways and water utility science. Most students commute to its suburban Orange County campus.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $6,573
Southern California Institute of Technology
- Private 4 Year
- Anaheim, CA
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $31,486
Soka University of America
- Private 4 Year
- Aliso Viejo, CA
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4.7 | 18 reviews
- 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
- Acceptance Rate 43%
- Net Price $15,691
World Mission University
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
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| 0 reviews
World Mission University is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies, theology, and church music. The urban Los Angeles campus centers on training for ministry and global missions.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $15,785
San Joaquin Valley College Trades Education Center
- Private 2 Year
- Fresno, California
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $27,432
Platt College Ontario
- Private 4 Year
- Ontario, CA
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $20,463
American University of Health Sciences
- Private 4 Year
- Signal Hill, CA
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA 2.5
- Acceptance Rate 50%
- Net Price $26,480
California Aeronautical University
- Private 4 Year
- Bakersfield, CA
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $34,836