Top Rated West Private Colleges
These are the top ranked private four-year colleges in the West. Leading the rankings for 2027 as the highest ranked private college in the West is Stanford University. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page.
Biola University
- Private 4 Year
- La Mirada, CA
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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.
- SAT Range 1160-1370
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 74%
- Net Price $34,082
Whitworth University
- Private 4 Year
- Spokane, WA
-
| 0 reviews
- Mar 1 application deadline
Whitworth is a private Presbyterian university known for undergraduate education, business, and the sciences. The wooded residential campus sits in north Spokane.
- SAT Range 1090-1330
- Avg GPA 3.72
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $27,605
Otis College of Art and Design
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
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1.0 | 1 reviews
Otis is a private art and design college known for undergraduate fashion design, graphic design, and digital media. The urban campus is in Los Angeles's Westchester neighborhood.
- SAT Range 1265-1395
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $54,295
The College of Idaho
- Private 4 Year
- Caldwell, ID
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
The College of Idaho is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate sciences and a PEAK curriculum that pairs a major with three minors. The residential campus sits in the small city of Caldwell west of Boise.
- SAT Range 1070-1280
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 49%
- Net Price $21,686
Pacific Lutheran University
- Private 4 Year
- Tacoma, WA
-
3.3 | 3 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Pacific Lutheran is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, music, and education. Most students live on the residential campus in suburban Tacoma with a Lutheran church affiliation.
- SAT Range 1040-1260
- Avg GPA 3.71
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $22,299
George Fox University
- Private 4 Year
- Newberg, OR
-
| 0 reviews
George Fox is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and engineering. The residential campus sits in the Willamette Valley town of Newberg near Portland.
- SAT Range 1070-1340
- Avg GPA 3.7
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $32,171
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.
- SAT Range 986-1236
- Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $21,530
Pacific University
- Private 4 Year
- Forest Grove, OR
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 25 application deadline
Pacific is a private university known for undergraduate health sciences, education, and psychology. The residential campus is in the small college town of Forest Grove west of Portland.
- SAT Range 900-1240
- Avg GPA 3.73
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $35,235
Mount Saint Mary's University
- Private 4 Year
- Los Angeles, CA
-
| 0 reviews
Mount Saint Mary's is a private Catholic women's university known for undergraduate nursing and the health sciences. The hillside Chalon campus overlooks Los Angeles from the Brentwood area.
- SAT Range 900-1110
- Avg GPA 3.59
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $27,368
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.
- SAT Range 1030-1260
- Avg GPA 3.61
- Acceptance Rate 66%
- Net Price $29,845
Carroll College
- Private 4 Year
- Helena, MT
-
2.0 | 1 reviews
- Feb 28 application deadline
Carroll is a private Catholic liberal arts college known for undergraduate nursing and pre-medicine. The campus sits in Montana's capital city of Helena near the Rocky Mountain foothills.
- SAT Range 1050-1300
- Avg GPA 3.64
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $25,575
William Jessup University
- Private 4 Year
- Rocklin, CA
-
| 0 reviews
Jessup is a private Christian university known for undergraduate business, psychology, and ministry programs. The suburban campus sits in Rocklin in the greater Sacramento area.
- SAT Range 1041-1228
- Avg GPA 3.33
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Net Price $29,679
Brigham Young University Hawaii
- Private 4 Year
- Laie, HI
-
5.0 | 1 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
BYU-Hawaii is a small private university known for undergraduate hospitality and tourism management, business, and Pacific Island studies. The seaside campus in Laie sits on Oahu's North Shore and is affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- SAT Range 960-1190
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.47
- Acceptance Rate 47%
- Net Price $12,410
Fresno Pacific University
- Private 4 Year
- Fresno, CA
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Fresno Pacific is a private Christian university known for undergraduate teacher education and nursing. The campus is located in Fresno in California's Central Valley.
- SAT Range 970-1240
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 64%
- Net Price $15,261
Vanguard University of Southern California
- Private 4 Year
- Costa Mesa, CA
-
3.5 | 4 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
Vanguard is a private Christian university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and theatre. The suburban Costa Mesa campus is affiliated with the Assemblies of God.
- SAT Range 980-1200
- Avg GPA 3.31
- Acceptance Rate 62%
- Net Price $23,286
Saint Martin's University
- Private 4 Year
- Lacey, WA
-
4.0 | 1 reviews
- Jul 31 application deadline
Saint Martin's is a private Benedictine university known for undergraduate engineering, education, and business. The suburban campus sits in Lacey near Washington's state capital of Olympia.
- SAT Range 1025-1230
- Avg GPA 3.46
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $29,116
Chaminade University of Honolulu
- Private 4 Year
- Honolulu, HI
-
| 0 reviews
Chaminade is a private Catholic university known for undergraduate nursing, criminal justice, and forensic sciences. The urban Honolulu campus follows a Marianist tradition in a residential neighborhood setting.
- SAT Range 970-1250
- Avg GPA 3.42
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $28,261
La Sierra University
- Private 4 Year
- Riverside, CA
-
| 0 reviews
La Sierra is a private Seventh-day Adventist university known for undergraduate business, education, and biology. The suburban campus sits in Riverside east of Los Angeles.
- SAT Range 880-1140
- Avg GPA 3.54
- Acceptance Rate 91%
- Net Price $23,848