47 Best colleges for Data Science 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 Data Science. A graph of 2.55M citations received by 39.9K academic papers made by 47 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 Data Science

#1 in the United States

#1 in North America

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

2. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Data Science

#5 in the United States

#5 in North America

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

3. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Data Science

#9 in the United States

#9 in North America

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

4. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Data Science

#14 in the United States

#15 in North America

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

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Data Science

#21 in the United States

#24 in North America

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

6. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Data Science

#33 in the United States

#37 in North America

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

7. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Data Science

#34 in the United States

#38 in North America

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

8. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Data Science

#37 in the United States

#43 in North America

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

9. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Data Science

#39 in the United States

#45 in North America

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

10. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Data Science

#50 in the United States

#59 in North America

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

11. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Data Science

#96 in the United States

#112 in North America

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

12. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Data Science

#100 in the United States

#117 in North America

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

13. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Data Science

#135 in the United States

#157 in North America

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

14. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Data Science

#145 in the United States

#168 in North America

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

15. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Data Science

#164 in the United States

#191 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 2,600
Male:Female: 79:21
Founded: 1909

16. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Data Science

#178 in the United States

#205 in North America

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

17. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Data Science

#183 in the United States

#210 in North America

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

18. Claremont Graduate University

Claremont

For Data Science

#197 in the United States

#225 in North America

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

19. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Data Science

#205 in the United States

#235 in North America

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

20. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Data Science

#232 in the United States

#264 in North America

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

21. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Data Science

#248 in the United States

#283 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,223
Male:Female: 15:85
Founded: 1975

22. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Data Science

#270 in the United States

#305 in North America

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

23. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Data Science

#277 in the United States

#312 in North America

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

24. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Data Science

#299 in the United States

#334 in North America

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

25. Chapman University

Orange

For Data Science

#303 in the United States

#339 in North America

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

26. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Data Science

#306 in the United States

#342 in North America

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

27. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Data Science

#314 in the United States

#350 in North America

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

28. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Data Science

#315 in the United States

#351 in North America

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

29. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Data Science

#332 in the United States

#369 in North America

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

30. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Data Science

#334 in the United States

#371 in North America

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

31. Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

San Diego

For Data Science

#335 in the United States

#372 in North America

Enrollment: 48
Male:Female: 37:63

32. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Data Science

#338 in the United States

#375 in North America

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

33. Pomona College

Claremont

For Data Science

#344 in the United States

#382 in North America

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

34. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Data Science

#345 in the United States

#383 in North America

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

35. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Data Science

#353 in the United States

#394 in North America

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

36. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Data Science

#355 in the United States

#396 in North America

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

37. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Data Science

#357 in the United States

#399 in North America

Enrollment: 4,202
Male:Female: 33:67
Founded: 1905

38. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield

For Data Science

#360 in the United States

#402 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $12,437
Enrollment: 9,787

39. Pardee RAND Graduate School

Santa Monica

For Data Science

#382 in the United States

#426 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 131
Male:Female: 58:42
Founded: 1970

40. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Data Science

#408 in the United States

#456 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $10,886
Enrollment: 13,333

41. Pepperdine University

Malibu

For Data Science

#416 in the United States

#465 in North America

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

42. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Data Science

#422 in the United States

#471 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $30,975

43. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Data Science

#431 in the United States

#483 in North America

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

44. University of Redlands

Redlands

For Data Science

#433 in the United States

#485 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1201
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $28,054

45. Harvey Mudd College

Claremont

For Data Science

#443 in the United States

#496 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $42,720

46. Western University of Health Sciences

Pomona

For Data Science

#467 in the United States

#522 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 3,625
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1977

47. California State University - Monterey Bay

Seaside

For Data Science

#478 in the United States

#533 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 79%
Average Aid: $10,480
Enrollment: 6,742

Closest to California states to learn Data Science

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	7	67
Utah	4	43
Arizona	3	19
Idaho	3	130
Washington	7	7
Colorado	9	45
New Mexico	3	120
Nebraska	4	65
South Dakota	3	254
Kansas	4	81
Texas	36	25
Oklahoma	5	113
North Dakota	2	171
Minnesota	8	16
Iowa	5	49
Missouri	10	51
Arkansas	6	140
Louisiana	7	119
Wisconsin	6	8
Illinois	19	3
Mississippi	5	157
Indiana	11	28
Michigan	12	6
Tennessee	10	46
Alabama	5	104
Kentucky	6	75
Ohio	19	31
Georgia	9	17
South Carolina	7	82
North Carolina	14	26
Virginia	12	42
Pennsylvania	27	11
Florida	18	41
District of Columbia	6	79
Maryland	11	13
New York	45	10
New Jersey	13	29
Vermont	3	123
Connecticut	10	22
Massachusetts	26	2
New Hampshire	3	55
Rhode Island	4	116

Closest to California states to learn Data Science

Computer Science subfields in California