California Public Colleges Ranked by Largest Enrollment
Below is a ranking of the 148 public colleges in California with the largest enrollment of full and part time students. University of California Los Angeles leads the list with a population of 47,335 students.
Enrollment is a measure of the size of the student body. Larger schools are more likely to offer a wider range of programs and services while smaller schools may have a more intimate and personalized experience.
| College | Enrollment |
|---|---|
|
California State University East Bay
Hayward, California |
12,326 |
|
Ventura College
Ventura, California |
12,222 |
|
Glendale Community College
Glendale, California |
12,075 |
|
Moreno Valley College
Moreno Valley, California |
11,920 |
|
Santiago Canyon College
Orange, California |
11,897 |
|
MiraCosta College
Oceanside, California |
11,478 |
|
Allan Hancock College
Santa Maria, California |
11,463 |
|
Norco College
Norco, California |
11,351 |
|
Cuesta College
San Luis Obispo, California |
11,283 |
|
Hartnell College
Salinas, California |
11,273 |
|
Folsom Lake College
Folsom, California |
11,098 |
|
Butte College
Oroville, California |
10,968 |
|
Golden West College
Huntington Beach, California |
10,721 |
|
Los Angeles Mission College
Sylmar, California |
10,690 |
|
Citrus College
Glendora, California |
10,429 |
|
California State University Bakersfield
Bakersfield, California |
10,419 |
|
Clovis Community College
Fresno, California |
10,358 |
|
College of San Mateo
San Mateo, California |
9,901 |
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.