44 Best colleges for Creative Writing in California, US

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in California ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 301K citations received by 14.5K academic papers made by 44 universities in California was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. Stanford University

Stanford

For Creative Writing

#2 in the United States

#3 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $17,998

2. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Creative Writing

#6 in the United States

#8 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $25,951
Enrollment: 45,699

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Creative Writing

#12 in the United States

#15 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1495
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $41,496

4. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Creative Writing

#16 in the United States

#19 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $22,441
Enrollment: 46,678

5. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Creative Writing

#29 in the United States

#34 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $21,732
Enrollment: 26,068

6. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Creative Writing

#35 in the United States

#41 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $21,533
Enrollment: 36,582

7. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Creative Writing

#44 in the United States

#51 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $24,176
Enrollment: 42,376

8. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Creative Writing

#45 in the United States

#53 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $21,564
Enrollment: 19,764

9. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Creative Writing

#56 in the United States

#67 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $21,258
Enrollment: 39,707

10. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Creative Writing

#65 in the United States

#77 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,126
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

11. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Creative Writing

#82 in the United States

#98 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Receiving Aid: 67%
Average Aid: $11,311
Enrollment: 36,062

12. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Creative Writing

#93 in the United States

#109 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $10,445
Enrollment: 41,962

13. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Creative Writing

#106 in the United States

#127 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $21,566
Enrollment: 26,426

14. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Creative Writing

#110 in the United States

#132 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $5,459
Enrollment: 39,241

15. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Creative Writing

#121 in the United States

#143 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $10,512
Enrollment: 40,278

16. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Creative Writing

#143 in the United States

#169 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $11,498
Enrollment: 23,908

17. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Creative Writing

#148 in the United States

#175 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Net Price: $54,471
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $21,575

18. Fielding Graduate University

Santa Barbara

For Creative Writing

#170 in the United States

#199 in North America

Enrollment: 937
Male:Female: 19:81
Founded: 1974

19. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Creative Writing

#201 in the United States

#232 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $49,651

20. Chapman University

Orange

For Creative Writing

#208 in the United States

#239 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1340
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $48,037

21. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Creative Writing

#210 in the United States

#241 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $44,104

22. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Creative Writing

#226 in the United States

#260 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $12,000
Enrollment: 37,760

23. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Creative Writing

#232 in the United States

#266 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $12,478
Enrollment: 25,080

24. Claremont Graduate University

Claremont

For Creative Writing

#236 in the United States

#270 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 1,763
Male:Female: 40:60
Founded: 1925

25. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Creative Writing

#237 in the United States

#271 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $23,397
Receiving Aid: 68%
Average Aid: $60,201

26. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Creative Writing

#245 in the United States

#279 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $10,421
Enrollment: 18,925

27. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Creative Writing

#277 in the United States

#315 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $11,503
Enrollment: 31,172

28. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park

For Creative Writing

#290 in the United States

#328 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $8,546
Enrollment: 5,990

29. Fuller Theological Seminary

Pasadena

For Creative Writing

#294 in the United States

#333 in North America

Enrollment: 1,935
Male:Female: 52:48

30. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Creative Writing

#304 in the United States

#343 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $12,707
Enrollment: 22,485

31. Pomona College

Claremont

For Creative Writing

#313 in the United States

#353 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $17,423

32. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Creative Writing

#324 in the United States

#364 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $11,412
Enrollment: 23,986

33. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Creative Writing

#326 in the United States

#367 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Net Price: $37,675
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $37,444

34. Mills College

Oakland

For Creative Writing

#334 in the United States

#375 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1455
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $25,283

35. Pepperdine University

Malibu

For Creative Writing

#342 in the United States

#385 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1350
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $52,216

36. Claremont McKenna College

Claremont

For Creative Writing

#361 in the United States

#407 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1505
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,978

37. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Creative Writing

#385 in the United States

#431 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1430
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $47,113

38. California State University - San Marcos

San Marcos

For Creative Writing

#390 in the United States

#436 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $10,247
Enrollment: 15,431

39. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Creative Writing

#402 in the United States

#448 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Receiving Aid: 78%
Average Aid: $10,441
Enrollment: 26,848

40. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Creative Writing

#413 in the United States

#459 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $10,331
Enrollment: 14,523

41. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Creative Writing

#416 in the United States

#462 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Receiving Aid: 85%
Average Aid: $24,868
Enrollment: 9,147

42. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Creative Writing

#422 in the United States

#469 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Receiving Aid: 73%
Average Aid: $10,046
Enrollment: 6,156

43. Azusa Pacific University

Azusa

For Creative Writing

#440 in the United States

#488 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1154
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $26,117

44. Dominican University of California

San Rafael

For Creative Writing

#463 in the United States

#512 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1181
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $51,292

Closest to California states to learn Creative Writing

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	7	100
Utah	3	46
Arizona	3	18
Idaho	3	192
Washington	10	19
Colorado	9	54
Nebraska	3	74
South Dakota	2	382
Kansas	3	53
Texas	28	3
Oklahoma	3	76
North Dakota	2	258
Minnesota	10	36
Iowa	5	42
Missouri	6	52
Arkansas	4	134
Louisiana	5	98
Wisconsin	9	15
Illinois	18	9
Mississippi	3	166
Indiana	11	30
Michigan	12	5
Tennessee	7	47
Alabama	4	70
Kentucky	4	75
Ohio	16	7
Georgia	11	20
South Carolina	6	108
North Carolina	16	22
Virginia	12	21
Pennsylvania	25	8
Florida	13	32
District of Columbia	5	33
Maryland	11	24
New York	50	1
New Jersey	14	26
Connecticut	10	4
Massachusetts	27	14
New Hampshire	4	112
Rhode Island	4	97
Maine	6	172

Closest to California states to learn Creative Writing

Art & Design subfields in California