California Colleges with high acceptance rates

Colleges with the Highest Acceptance Rate in California for 2024

These are the least selective public and private four-year colleges in California. These colleges historically accept more than seventy-five percent of students who apply for admission and are ranked by acceptance rate. These are good safety schools for your college list and you should have a good chance on getting in if your grades and test scores are above or within their typical admission thresholds. Just because a school is less selective doesn't mean it's a lesser school academically and easy to get into for all students. Unless a college has guaranteed admission or accepts 100% of applicants, you still need sufficient grades to be accepted.

Use the filters on this page to narrow down the list based on your high school GPA, SAT and ACT scores. Once you do, your estimated admission chance will be displayed for each school. Additionally, you can filter the list by state, region or distance from your home to narrow down the list of colleges that are easiest for you to get into.

See also, the best and popular California colleges with high acceptance rates. If you're looking for colleges that have easy admission requirements, explore rankings of California colleges with the lowest SAT scores, lowest ACT scores and lowest GPA's.


91 results

California State University Los Angeles
C
Los Angeles, CA

California State University Los Angeles

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

87% Acceptance Rate

#26 Best Public Universities in California

  • 26,460enrollment
  • $5,801net price
  • 870-1060SAT range
  • 15-20ACT range
  • 3.31Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 19

Providence Christian College
P
Pasadena, CA
 

Providence Christian College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

87% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 136enrollment
  • $25,416net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.5Avg GPA

Thomas Aquinas College
T
Santa Paula, CA

Thomas Aquinas College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

85% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 516enrollment
  • $24,217net price
  • 1220-1410SAT range
  • 27-32ACT range
  • 3.8Avg GPA

Otis College of Art and Design
O
Los Angeles, CA

Otis College of Art and Design

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

83% Acceptance Rate

#23 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 1,312enrollment
  • $48,198net price
  • 1130-1360SAT range
  • 20-29ACT range
  • 3.31Avg GPA

SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary
S
Oakland, CA
 

SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

83% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 662enrollment
  • $19,700net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Aug 1

Point Loma Nazarene University
P
San Diego, CA

Point Loma Nazarene University

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

82% Acceptance Rate

#20 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 4,319enrollment
  • $34,933net price
  • 1170-1350SAT range
  • 22-30ACT range
  • 3.65Avg GPA

Applications Due Feb 15

University of Redlands
R
Redlands, CA

University of Redlands

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

82% Acceptance Rate

#16 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 3,460enrollment
  • $28,157net price
  • 1113-1278SAT range
  • 25-30ACT range
  • 3.74Avg GPA

Applications Due Jul 1

Westmont College
W
Santa Barbara, CA
 

Westmont College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

82% Acceptance Rate

#13 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 1,284enrollment
  • $33,112net price
  • 1280-1458SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.59Avg GPA

California Baptist University
C
Riverside, CA

California Baptist University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

80% Acceptance Rate

#31 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 11,495enrollment
  • $27,304net price
  • 960-1150SAT range
  • 18-25ACT range
  • 3.58Avg GPA

Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
C
Los Angeles, CA
 

Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

80% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 777enrollment
  • $27,637net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.26Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jul 30

John Paul the Great Catholic University
J
San Diego, CA

John Paul the Great Catholic University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

80% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 300enrollment
  • $31,354net price
  • 1060-1125SAT range
  • 16-22ACT range
  • 3.56Avg GPA

The Master's College and Seminary
M
Santa Clarita, CA

The Master's College and Seminary

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

78% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 2,606enrollment
  • $30,783net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.8Avg GPA

University of the West
T
Rosemead, CA
 

University of the West

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

78% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 164enrollment
  • $19,028net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 2.43Avg GPA

Applications Due Jun 15

San Jose State University
S
San Jose, CA

San Jose State University

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

77% Acceptance Rate

#13 Best Public Universities in California

  • 35,751enrollment
  • $14,219net price
  • 1010-1240SAT range
  • 19-26ACT range
  • 3.35Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Dec 15

California College of the Arts
C
Oakland, CA

California College of the Arts

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

76% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,501enrollment
  • $47,862net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.34Avg GPA

Mount St. Mary's College
M
Los Angeles, CA

Mount St. Mary's College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

76% Acceptance Rate

#27 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 2,440enrollment
  • $28,717net price
  • 900-1110SAT range
  • 18-23ACT range
  • 3.59Avg GPA

Fresno Pacific University
F
Fresno, CA

Fresno Pacific University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

75% Acceptance Rate

#28 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 3,032enrollment
  • $15,255net price
  • 970-1240SAT range
  • 17-24ACT range
  • 3.54Avg GPA

Applications Due Aug 1

Vanguard University of Southern California
V
Costa Mesa, CA
 

Vanguard University of Southern California

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

75% Acceptance Rate

#30 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 2,256enrollment
  • $24,279net price
  • 980-1200SAT range
  • 19-25ACT range
  • 3.31Avg GPA

Applications Due Aug 1