Western Private Colleges

There are 163 private colleges and universities in the West enrolling 725,688 students. Explore the list below to find the private college match for you. Private colleges are usually smaller in size, more expensive than public schools and often academically rigorous. If you feel you may have difficulty fitting into the large class sizes which are common on many public campuses, take a look at West private colleges. The  West is home to popular private schools like Stanford University, University of Southern California, Pepperdine University and University of San Francisco.

163 Results
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West Private 4 Year 2 Year

University of Portland

  • Private 4 Year
  • Portland, OR
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

University of Portland is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, engineering, and business. The campus sits on a bluff overlooking the Willamette River in North Portland.

#2 Best Colleges in Oregon 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1160-1370
  • Avg GPA 3.66
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $30,985
Details

California Baptist University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Riverside, CA
  • | 0 reviews

California Baptist is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and engineering. The suburban Riverside campus lies in Southern California's Inland Empire.

#30 Best Private Colleges in California 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 960-1150
  • Avg GPA 3.58
  • Acceptance Rate 85%
  • Net Price $27,862
Details

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.

#17 Best Private Colleges in California 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1175-1365
  • Avg GPA 3.65
  • Acceptance Rate 84%
  • Net Price $39,696
Details

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.

#15 Best Private Colleges in California 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1107-1350
  • Avg GPA 3.74
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $28,482
Details

Hawaii Pacific University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Honolulu, HI
  • | 0 reviews
  • Sep 6 application deadline

Hawaii Pacific is a private university known for undergraduate marine science, nursing, and international business. The urban campus sits in downtown Honolulu near the waterfront.

#3 Best Private Colleges in Hawaii 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 998-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.56
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $30,950
Details

Reed College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Portland, OR
  • | 0 reviews

Reed is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences and humanities. All seniors complete a required year-long thesis on a wooded residential campus in southeast Portland.

#1 Best Value in Oregon 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1290-1520
  • Avg GPA 4.0
  • Acceptance Rate 25%
  • Net Price $30,953
Details

Gonzaga University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Spokane, WA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Feb 1 application deadline

Gonzaga is a private Jesuit university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and engineering. The campus runs along the Spokane River in eastern Washington.

#3 Best Private Colleges in Washington 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1190-1380
  • Avg GPA 3.67
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $40,117
Details

Harvey Mudd College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Claremont, CA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 5 application deadline

Harvey Mudd is a highly selective private college known for undergraduate engineering, computer science, and mathematics. It is one of the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of adjoining campuses where students can cross-enroll.

10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1500-1570
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.96
  • Acceptance Rate 13%
  • Net Price $43,966
Details

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.

#23 Best Private Colleges in California 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 986-1236
  • Avg GPA 3.24
  • Acceptance Rate 71%
  • Net Price $21,530
Details

Claremont McKenna College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Claremont, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jan 5 application deadline

Claremont McKenna is a highly selective private liberal arts college known for undergraduate economics, government, and international relations. Students live on a residential campus that shares classes and facilities with the neighboring Claremont Colleges.

#17 Best Colleges in America 10/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1470-1560
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.89
  • Acceptance Rate 10%
  • Net Price $33,895
Details

Scripps College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Claremont, CA
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Scripps is a private women's liberal arts college known for undergraduate arts, humanities, and its interdisciplinary Core Curriculum. Most students live on the residential campus and take classes across the Claremont Colleges consortium.

#6 Best Private Colleges in California 9/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1440-1540
  • Avg GPA 4.0
  • Acceptance Rate 38%
  • Net Price $44,396
Details

Whittier College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Whittier, CA
  • | 0 reviews

Whittier is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate business, psychology, and education. The suburban Los Angeles County campus has historic Quaker roots.

7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1140-1340
  • Avg GPA 3.61
  • Acceptance Rate 81%
  • Net Price $28,101
Details
Westmont College Campus
 

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.

#13 Best Private Colleges in California 8/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1240-1450
  • Avg GPA 3.59
  • Acceptance Rate 77%
  • Net Price $32,172
Details

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.

#21 Best Private Colleges in California 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1160-1370
  • Avg GPA 3.61
  • Acceptance Rate 74%
  • Net Price $34,082
Details

Seattle Pacific University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Seattle, WA
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 11 application deadline

Seattle Pacific is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The urban campus sits in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood.

#6 Best Private Colleges in Washington 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1050-1320
  • Avg GPA 3.53
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $25,232
Details

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.

#25 Best Private Colleges in California 6/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1030-1260
  • Avg GPA 3.61
  • Acceptance Rate 66%
  • Net Price $29,845
Details

Notre Dame de Namur University

  • Private 4 Year
  • Belmont, CA
  • | 0 reviews
  • SAT Range -
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price -
Details

Lewis & Clark College

  • Private 4 Year
  • Portland, OR
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jan 15 application deadline

Lewis & Clark is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate international affairs and environmental studies. The wooded campus sits in the hills of southwest Portland.

#3 Best Colleges in Oregon 7/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1210-1390
  • Avg GPA 3.95
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $37,999
Details