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
San Joaquin Valley College Hesperia
- Private 2 Year
- Hesperia, California
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $25,140
Homestead Schools
- Private 4 Year
- Torrance, CA
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| 0 reviews
Homestead Schools is a private college known for undergraduate nursing and allied health programs. Most students commute to its compact campus in Torrance in the Los Angeles area.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $15,962
Horizon University
- Private 4 Year
- Indianapolis, CA
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 29 application deadline
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $22,285
West Coast University Orange County
- Private 4 Year
- Anaheim, CA
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3.0 | 1 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $28,081
West Coast University Ontario
- Private 4 Year
- Ontario, CA
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $47,368
Touro University Worldwide
- Private 4 Year
- Los Alamitos, CA
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| 0 reviews
- Jun 15 application deadline
Touro University Worldwide is a private online university with undergraduate programs in business, psychology, and health sciences. Most undergrads complete degrees through distance learning rather than a traditional residential campus.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $19,522
Moreno Valley College
- Public 2 Year
- Moreno Valley, CA
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| 0 reviews
Moreno Valley College is a public community college known for nursing and public safety training programs. The suburban campus serves students in California's Inland Empire.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $9,780
Norco College
- Public 2 Year
- Norco, CA
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| 0 reviews
Norco College is a public community college offering associate degrees and university-transfer coursework. The suburban campus sits in Norco, a Riverside County city known for its equestrian community.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $8,534
John Paul the Great Catholic University
- Private 4 Year
- Escondido, CA
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| 0 reviews
John Paul the Great is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate film, media, and communications. The campus is in Escondido in northern San Diego County.
- SAT Range 975-1270
- Avg GPA 3.56
- Acceptance Rate 80%
- Net Price $35,175
Los Angeles Pacific University
- Private 4 Year
- San Dimas, CA
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| 0 reviews
Los Angeles Pacific is a private Christian university known for online undergraduate programs in business, psychology, and liberal studies. Most undergrads complete degrees fully online through its San Dimas-based programs.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $22,498
San Joaquin Valley College Temecula
- Private 2 Year
- Temecula, California
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $24,743
The University of America
- Private 4 Year
- Temecula, California
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price -
Grace Mission University
- Private 4 Year
- Fullerton, CA
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| 0 reviews
Grace Mission University is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies, theology, and missions. The suburban campus sits in Fullerton in Orange County.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price -
Minerva University
- Private 4 Year
- San Francisco, California
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| 0 reviews
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
- Acceptance Rate 3%
- Net Price $13,324
California Jazz Conservatory
- Private 4 Year
- Berkeley, CA
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| 0 reviews
California Jazz Conservatory is a private music conservatory known for undergraduate jazz studies and performance. The urban campus is in downtown Berkeley.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 67%
- Net Price -
Claremont Lincoln University
- Private 4 Year
- Claremont, California
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| 0 reviews
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price -
University of the People
- Private 4 Year
- Pasadena, California
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| 0 reviews
University of the People is a private online university known for undergraduate business administration, computer science, and health science. Programs are tuition-free and delivered entirely online from its base in Pasadena.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $1,575
Clovis Community College
- Public 2 Year
- Fresno, California
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| 0 reviews
Clovis Community College is a public community college offering associate degrees and university transfer preparation. The campus is located in Clovis in the greater Fresno area of California's Central Valley.
- SAT Range -
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 100%
- Net Price $8,482