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
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
- Public 4 Year
- San Luis Obispo, CA
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4.7 | 3 reviews
- 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
- Acceptance Rate 31%
- Net Price $17,453
Westmont College
- Private 4 Year
- Santa Barbara, CA
-
| 0 reviews
Westmont is a private Christian liberal arts college known for undergraduate programs in the sciences and humanities. The residential hillside campus overlooks the Pacific Ocean above Santa Barbara.
- SAT Range 1240-1450
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $32,172
Pepperdine University
- Private 4 Year
- Malibu, CA
-
3.8 | 4 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Pepperdine is a private Christian university known for undergraduate business, communication, and international studies. The Malibu campus overlooks the Pacific Ocean from hillsides above the coast.
- SAT Range 1290-1450
- Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 63%
- Net Price $66,585
University of Redlands
- Private 4 Year
- Redlands, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- Jul 1 application deadline
University of Redlands is a private university known for undergraduate music, business, and the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies. The residential campus sits in Redlands in Southern California's Inland Empire.
- SAT Range 1107-1350
- Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $28,482
Azusa Pacific University
- Private 4 Year
- Azusa, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
Azusa Pacific is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and ministry programs. The suburban campus sits at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles.
- SAT Range 983-1238
- Avg GPA 3.74
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $26,143
Point Loma Nazarene University
- Private 4 Year
- San Diego, CA
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
Point Loma Nazarene is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, biology, and business. The campus sits on coastal bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
- SAT Range 1175-1365
- Avg GPA 3.65
- Acceptance Rate 84%
- Net Price $39,696
University of California Santa Cruz
- Public 4 Year
- Santa Cruz, CA
-
4.3 | 6 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Santa Cruz is a public university known for undergraduate marine science, environmental studies, and astronomy. The residential-college campus sits among redwood forests overlooking Monterey Bay.
- SAT Range 1160-1360
- Avg GPA 3.63
- Acceptance Rate 66%
- Net Price $18,059
California Lutheran University
- Private 4 Year
- Thousand Oaks, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 1 application deadline
Cal Lutheran is a private university known for undergraduate business, psychology, and communication. The suburban campus in Thousand Oaks is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
- SAT Range 1150-1330
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $32,774
Saint Mary's College of California
- Private 4 Year
- Moraga, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- Jan 15 application deadline
Saint Mary's is a private Catholic college known for undergraduate business and a Great Books liberal arts program. The residential campus lies in the hills of Moraga in the East Bay.
- SAT Range 1070-1253
- Avg GPA 3.6
- Acceptance Rate 87%
- Net Price $35,332
Dominican University of California
- Private 4 Year
- San Rafael, CA
-
2.5 | 2 reviews
A private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and business. The San Rafael campus sits in Marin County north of San Francisco.
- SAT Range 1210-1300
- Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $37,456
University of California Riverside
- Public 4 Year
- Riverside, CA
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Nov 30 application deadline
UC Riverside is a large public university known for undergraduate entomology, plant sciences, and business. The suburban campus lies in California's Inland Empire east of Los Angeles.
- SAT Range 1080-1280
- Avg GPA 3.84
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Net Price $14,562
Biola University
- Private 4 Year
- La Mirada, CA
-
5.0 | 3 reviews
Biola is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies, theology, and cinema and media arts. The suburban La Mirada campus requires Bible coursework of all undergraduates.
- SAT Range 1160-1370
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $34,082
San Diego State University
- Public 4 Year
- San Diego, CA
-
4.7 | 3 reviews
- 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
- Acceptance Rate 36%
- Net Price $14,704
Otis College of Art and Design
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
-
1.0 | 1 reviews
Otis is a private art and design college known for undergraduate fashion design, graphic design, and digital media. The urban campus is in Los Angeles's Westchester neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1265-1395
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $54,295
University of La Verne
- Private 4 Year
- La Verne, CA
-
| 0 reviews
University of La Verne is a private university known for undergraduate education, business, and public administration. The suburban campus sits in the San Gabriel foothills east of Los Angeles.
- SAT Range 986-1236
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $21,530
Mount Saint Mary's University
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
-
| 0 reviews
Mount Saint Mary's is a private Catholic women's university known for undergraduate nursing and the health sciences. The hillside Chalon campus overlooks Los Angeles from the Brentwood area.
- SAT Range 900-1110
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $27,368
Concordia University Irvine
- Private 4 Year
- Irvine, CA
-
| 0 reviews
Concordia Irvine is a private Lutheran university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and theology. The suburban campus sits in Irvine in Orange County.
- SAT Range 1030-1260
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 66%
- Net Price $29,845
William Jessup University
- Private 4 Year
- Rocklin, CA
-
| 0 reviews
Jessup is a private Christian university known for undergraduate business, psychology, and ministry programs. The suburban campus sits in Rocklin in the greater Sacramento area.
- SAT Range 1041-1228
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $29,679