42 Best colleges for Molecular Biology 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 Molecular Biology. A graph of 5.99M citations received by 87.7K academic papers made by 42 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 Molecular Biology

#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 Molecular Biology

#4 in the United States

#4 in North America

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

3. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Molecular Biology

#8 in the United States

#8 in North America

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

4. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Molecular Biology

#16 in the United States

#17 in North America

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

5. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Molecular Biology

#21 in the United States

#22 in North America

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

6. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Molecular Biology

#28 in the United States

#30 in North America

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

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Molecular Biology

#30 in the United States

#32 in North America

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

8. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Molecular Biology

#46 in the United States

#50 in North America

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

9. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Molecular Biology

#55 in the United States

#59 in North America

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

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

Duarte

For Molecular Biology

#65 in the United States

#69 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 90
Founded: 1994

11. Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

San Diego

For Molecular Biology

#72 in the United States

#78 in North America

Enrollment: 52
Male:Female: 32:68

12. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Molecular Biology

#89 in the United States

#100 in North America

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

13. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Molecular Biology

#114 in the United States

#127 in North America

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

14. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Molecular Biology

#133 in the United States

#149 in North America

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

15. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Molecular Biology

#147 in the United States

#165 in North America

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

16. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Molecular Biology

#179 in the United States

#201 in North America

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

17. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Molecular Biology

#214 in the United States

#238 in North America

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

18. West Los Angeles College

Culver

For Molecular Biology

#228 in the United States

#252 in North America

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

19. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Molecular Biology

#245 in the United States

#271 in North America

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

20. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Molecular Biology

#259 in the United States

#286 in North America

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

21. Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

Los Angeles

For Molecular Biology

#266 in the United States

#294 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Net Price: $35,558
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $4,276

22. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Molecular Biology

#270 in the United States

#299 in North America

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

23. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Molecular Biology

#274 in the United States

#304 in North America

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

24. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Molecular Biology

#275 in the United States

#305 in North America

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

25. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Molecular Biology

#276 in the United States

#306 in North America

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

26. Western University of Health Sciences

Pomona

For Molecular Biology

#282 in the United States

#312 in North America

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

27. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Molecular Biology

#283 in the United States

#313 in North America

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

28. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Molecular Biology

#292 in the United States

#324 in North America

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

29. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Molecular Biology

#296 in the United States

#329 in North America

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

30. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Molecular Biology

#301 in the United States

#334 in North America

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

31. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Molecular Biology

#310 in the United States

#345 in North America

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

32. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Molecular Biology

#332 in the United States

#369 in North America

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

33. Keck Graduate Institute

Claremont

For Molecular Biology

#350 in the United States

#389 in North America

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

34. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Molecular Biology

#355 in the United States

#394 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1345
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $59,926

35. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Molecular Biology

#357 in the United States

#396 in North America

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

36. Soka University of America

Aliso Viejo

For Molecular Biology

#362 in the United States

#401 in North America

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

37. Pomona College

Claremont

For Molecular Biology

#368 in the United States

#407 in North America

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

38. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Molecular Biology

#379 in the United States

#419 in North America

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

39. Chapman University

Orange

For Molecular Biology

#384 in the United States

#424 in North America

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

40. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Molecular Biology

#398 in the United States

#439 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $12,326
Enrollment: 24,427

41. Simpson University

Redding

For Molecular Biology

#417 in the United States

#458 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Net Price: $28,653
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,937

42. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Molecular Biology

#423 in the United States

#464 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $12,167
Enrollment: 18,492

Closest to California states to learn Molecular Biology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	6	61
Utah	3	39
Arizona	4	52
Idaho	3	194
Washington	3	7
Colorado	8	53
New Mexico	3	103
Nebraska	4	79
Kansas	4	111
Texas	31	12
Oklahoma	6	96
North Dakota	3	191
Minnesota	3	24
Iowa	2	31
Missouri	9	14
Arkansas	6	93
Louisiana	10	91
Wisconsin	4	13
Illinois	16	22
Mississippi	5	142
Indiana	8	51
Michigan	11	9
Tennessee	12	34
Alabama	10	29
Kentucky	4	69
Ohio	18	35
Georgia	13	27
South Carolina	5	75
North Carolina	11	17
Virginia	12	38
Pennsylvania	24	5
Florida	16	33
District of Columbia	5	74
Maryland	9	2
New York	46	11
New Jersey	10	32
Connecticut	5	6
Massachusetts	22	1
Rhode Island	3	92
Maine	5	227
Puerto Rico	5	288

Closest to California states to learn Molecular Biology

Biology subfields in California