39 Best colleges for Biophysics in California, US

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in California ranked based on their research performance in Biophysics. A graph of 4.13M citations received by 61.7K academic papers made by 39 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.

1. Stanford University

Stanford

For Biophysics

#3 in the United States

#3 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $25,078

2. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Biophysics

#6 in the United States

#6 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,007
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1864

3. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Biophysics

#7 in the United States

#7 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Receiving Aid: 66%
Average Aid: $25,757
Enrollment: 44,256

4. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Biophysics

#8 in the United States

#8 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $29,608
Enrollment: 45,882

5. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Biophysics

#11 in the United States

#11 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 59%
Average Aid: $25,627
Enrollment: 47,335

6. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Biophysics

#22 in the United States

#23 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Receiving Aid: 65%
Average Aid: $24,591
Enrollment: 40,065

7. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Biophysics

#25 in the United States

#26 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $23,110
Enrollment: 37,297

8. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Biophysics

#31 in the United States

#32 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $14,513
Receiving Aid: 70%
Average Aid: $72,373

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Biophysics

#51 in the United States

#56 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $43,412

10. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Biophysics

#59 in the United States

#64 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $24,695
Enrollment: 26,133

11. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Biophysics

#81 in the United States

#89 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Receiving Aid: 64%
Average Aid: $22,774
Enrollment: 19,938

12. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Biophysics

#89 in the United States

#98 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $24,355
Enrollment: 26,384

13. Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

San Diego

For Biophysics

#118 in the United States

#132 in North America

Enrollment: 52
Male:Female: 32:68

14. Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope

Duarte

For Biophysics

#142 in the United States

#160 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 90
Founded: 1994

15. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Biophysics

#155 in the United States

#174 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $12,053
Enrollment: 41,137

16. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Biophysics

#179 in the United States

#199 in North America

Enrollment: 4,210
Male:Female: 34:66
Founded: 1905

17. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Biophysics

#197 in the United States

#218 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1332
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $31,670

18. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Biophysics

#206 in the United States

#229 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $27,292
Enrollment: 9,110

19. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Biophysics

#235 in the United States

#262 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Receiving Aid: 81%
Average Aid: $12,996
Enrollment: 22,563

20. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Biophysics

#236 in the United States

#263 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $11,795
Enrollment: 42,003

21. West Los Angeles College

Culver

For Biophysics

#238 in the United States

#265 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $5,857
Enrollment: 9,255

22. Western University of Health Sciences

Pomona

For Biophysics

#239 in the United States

#266 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 3,665
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1977

23. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Biophysics

#242 in the United States

#269 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Receiving Aid: 74%
Average Aid: $10,748
Enrollment: 6,237

24. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Biophysics

#275 in the United States

#303 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $11,234
Enrollment: 43,662

25. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Biophysics

#282 in the United States

#310 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Net Price: $37,918
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $40,965

26. Chapman University

Orange

For Biophysics

#284 in the United States

#312 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Average SAT: 1350
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $47,902

27. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Biophysics

#289 in the United States

#318 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $13,824
Enrollment: 23,163

28. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Biophysics

#290 in the United States

#319 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,065
Male:Female: 16:84
Founded: 1975

29. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Biophysics

#310 in the United States

#343 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $12,825
Enrollment: 38,313

30. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Biophysics

#320 in the United States

#356 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Receiving Aid: 62%
Average Aid: $14,338
Enrollment: 23,069

31. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Biophysics

#325 in the United States

#362 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $45,443

32. Soka University of America

Aliso Viejo

For Biophysics

#334 in the United States

#371 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1422
Net Price: $15,691
Receiving Aid: 100%

33. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Biophysics

#338 in the United States

#375 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $53,883

34. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Biophysics

#348 in the United States

#386 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $11,833
Enrollment: 27,636

35. Pomona College

Claremont

For Biophysics

#352 in the United States

#390 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1525
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $19,938

36. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Biophysics

#355 in the United States

#393 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $48,400

37. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Biophysics

#361 in the United States

#399 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Receiving Aid: 69%
Average Aid: $12,353
Enrollment: 37,661

38. California State University - San Marcos

San Marcos

For Biophysics

#366 in the United States

#404 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $11,123
Enrollment: 16,237

39. Keck Graduate Institute

Claremont

For Biophysics

#377 in the United States

#415 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 622
Male:Female: 29:71
Founded: 1997

Closest to California states to learn Biophysics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	4	37
Utah	3	28
Arizona	4	56
Idaho	3	221
Washington	4	9
Colorado	5	55
Nebraska	4	105
Kansas	3	82
Texas	28	20
Oklahoma	4	125
North Dakota	2	198
Iowa	3	35
Missouri	10	13
Arkansas	4	147
Louisiana	8	110
Wisconsin	5	10
Illinois	13	18
Mississippi	5	172
Indiana	7	41
Michigan	10	16
Tennessee	7	38
Alabama	5	45
Kentucky	3	75
Ohio	15	27
Georgia	9	43
South Carolina	3	116
North Carolina	10	17
Virginia	10	26
Pennsylvania	23	2
Florida	13	46
District of Columbia	4	104
Maryland	7	5
New York	39	12
New Jersey	9	36
Connecticut	6	4
Massachusetts	19	1
Rhode Island	3	86
Puerto Rico	4	257

Closest to California states to learn Biophysics

Biology subfields in California