California Private Colleges Ranked by Highest Acceptance Rate
Below is a ranking of the 100 private colleges in California with the highest acceptance rate for freshman undergraduate applications. Bethesda University leads the list by accepting 100% of high school students that applied.
Acceptance rate is a measure of the competitiveness of a school. Lower acceptance rates are more competitive and may require a higher GPA, SAT/ACT score, and other factors to be considered for admission.
| College | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|
|
Bethesda University
Anaheim, California |
100% |
|
California Institute of Integral Studies
San Francisco, California |
100% |
|
Haven University
Garden Grove, California |
100% |
|
California College of ASU
Los Angeles, California |
100% |
|
Golden Gate University
San Francisco, California |
100% |
|
Humphreys University Stockton and Modesto Campuses
Stockton, California |
100% |
|
American Jewish University
Los Angeles, California |
100% |
|
Lincoln University
Oakland, California |
100% |
|
Southern California Seminary
El Cajon, California |
100% |
|
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, California |
100% |
|
National University
San Diego, California |
100% |
|
Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, California |
100% |
|
Palo Alto University
Palo Alto, California |
100% |
|
Pacific States University
Los Angeles, California |
100% |
|
Samuel Merritt University
Oakland, California |
100% |
|
Shasta Bible College and Graduate School
Redding, California |
100% |
|
Epic Bible College & Graduate School
Sacramento, California |
100% |
|
Antioch University Los Angeles
Culver City, California |
100% |
This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: March 15, 2026
Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.