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 |
|---|---|
|
Cerro Coso Community College
Ridgecrest, California |
5,549 |
|
Los Angeles Southwest College
Los Angeles, California |
5,371 |
|
Compton College
Compton, California |
5,225 |
|
Napa Valley College
Napa, California |
4,844 |
|
College of Marin
Kentfield, California |
4,838 |
|
Porterville College
Porterville, California |
4,784 |
|
College of the Redwoods
Eureka, California |
4,706 |
|
Taft College
Taft, California |
4,464 |
|
Lemoore College
Lemoore, California |
4,404 |
|
Mendocino College
Ukiah, California |
4,225 |
|
Coalinga College
Coalinga, California |
4,175 |
|
Woodland Community College
Woodland, California |
4,128 |
|
Lake Tahoe Community College
South Lake Tahoe, California |
4,040 |
|
Palo Verde College
Blythe, California |
3,833 |
|
Barstow Community College
Barstow, California |
3,226 |
|
Columbia College
Sonora, California |
2,828 |
|
Feather River Community College District
Quincy, California |
2,055 |
|
Lassen Community College
Susanville, California |
2,038 |
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.