California Private Colleges Ranked by Lowest Acceptance Rate
Below is a ranking of the 100 private colleges in California with the lowest acceptance rate for freshman undergraduate applications. California Institute of Technology leads the list by accepting 3% 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 |
|---|---|
|
Simpson University
Redding, California |
86% |
|
Saint Mary's College of California
Moraga, California |
87% |
|
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, California |
88% |
|
Berkeley School of Theology
Berkeley, California |
89% |
|
California College of the Arts
San Francisco, California |
91% |
|
La Sierra University
Riverside, California |
91% |
|
William Jessup University
Rocklin, California |
93% |
|
Laguna College of Art and Design
Laguna Beach, California |
94% |
|
Life Pacific University
San Dimas, California |
96% |
|
San Francisco Bay University
Fremont, California |
96% |
|
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% |
This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: August 2026
Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.