45 Best colleges for Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) 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 Human-Computer Interaction. A graph of 1.37M citations received by 34.8K academic papers made by 45 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 Human-Computer Interaction

#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 - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Human-Computer Interaction

#7 in the United States

#7 in North America

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

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Human-Computer Interaction

#9 in the United States

#10 in North America

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

4. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Human-Computer Interaction

#13 in the United States

#15 in North America

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

5. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Human-Computer Interaction

#25 in the United States

#28 in North America

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

6. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Human-Computer Interaction

#31 in the United States

#34 in North America

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

7. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Human-Computer Interaction

#39 in the United States

#45 in North America

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

8. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Human-Computer Interaction

#46 in the United States

#54 in North America

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

9. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Human-Computer Interaction

#53 in the United States

#62 in North America

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

10. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Human-Computer Interaction

#68 in the United States

#83 in North America

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

11. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Human-Computer Interaction

#79 in the United States

#95 in North America

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

12. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Human-Computer Interaction

#98 in the United States

#116 in North America

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

13. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Human-Computer Interaction

#127 in the United States

#150 in North America

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

14. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Human-Computer Interaction

#128 in the United States

#151 in North America

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

15. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Human-Computer Interaction

#133 in the United States

#156 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 2,441
Male:Female: 79:21
Founded: 1909

16. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Human-Computer Interaction

#150 in the United States

#177 in North America

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

17. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Human-Computer Interaction

#179 in the United States

#210 in North America

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

18. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Human-Computer Interaction

#195 in the United States

#226 in North America

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

19. Claremont Graduate University

Claremont

For Human-Computer Interaction

#204 in the United States

#235 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 1,771
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1925

20. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Human-Computer Interaction

#216 in the United States

#248 in North America

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

21. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Human-Computer Interaction

#220 in the United States

#252 in North America

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

22. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Human-Computer Interaction

#221 in the United States

#253 in North America

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

23. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Human-Computer Interaction

#227 in the United States

#260 in North America

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

24. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Human-Computer Interaction

#235 in the United States

#269 in North America

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

25. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Human-Computer Interaction

#237 in the United States

#271 in North America

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

26. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Human-Computer Interaction

#254 in the United States

#288 in North America

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

27. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Human-Computer Interaction

#270 in the United States

#304 in North America

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

28. Harvey Mudd College

Claremont

For Human-Computer Interaction

#279 in the United States

#316 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $43,966

29. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Human-Computer Interaction

#288 in the United States

#325 in North America

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

30. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Human-Computer Interaction

#292 in the United States

#330 in North America

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

31. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Human-Computer Interaction

#299 in the United States

#337 in North America

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

32. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Human-Computer Interaction

#326 in the United States

#366 in North America

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

33. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Human-Computer Interaction

#332 in the United States

#372 in North America

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

34. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Human-Computer Interaction

#339 in the United States

#379 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $12,767
Enrollment: 31,943

35. Chapman University

Orange

For Human-Computer Interaction

#343 in the United States

#385 in North America

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

36. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Human-Computer Interaction

#349 in the United States

#392 in North America

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

37. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Human-Computer Interaction

#356 in the United States

#399 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $12,369
Enrollment: 12,326

38. California State University - San Marcos

San Marcos

For Human-Computer Interaction

#378 in the United States

#423 in North America

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

39. California State University - Monterey Bay

Seaside

For Human-Computer Interaction

#381 in the United States

#426 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Receiving Aid: 76%
Average Aid: $12,185
Enrollment: 7,713

40. California State University - Channel Islands

Camarillo

For Human-Computer Interaction

#385 in the United States

#432 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $12,528
Enrollment: 5,592

41. Pomona College

Claremont

For Human-Computer Interaction

#404 in the United States

#453 in North America

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

42. Pepperdine University

Malibu

For Human-Computer Interaction

#408 in the United States

#457 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Net Price: $66,585

43. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Human-Computer Interaction

#417 in the United States

#466 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $11,509
Enrollment: 15,257

44. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Human-Computer Interaction

#422 in the United States

#471 in North America

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

45. California State University Maritime Academy

Vallejo

For Human-Computer Interaction

#424 in the United States

#473 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 68%
Average Aid: $11,038
Enrollment: 837

Closest to California states to learn Human-Computer Interaction

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	5	54
Utah	5	52
Arizona	4	21
Idaho	3	201
Washington	7	6
Colorado	8	22
New Mexico	3	90
Nebraska	4	106
South Dakota	3	264
Kansas	5	83
Texas	34	16
Oklahoma	4	129
North Dakota	2	199
Minnesota	9	20
Iowa	3	40
Missouri	9	85
Arkansas	5	61
Louisiana	6	124
Wisconsin	7	17
Illinois	19	10
Mississippi	5	109
Indiana	11	14
Michigan	12	5
Tennessee	10	47
Alabama	6	121
Kentucky	5	101
Ohio	16	29
Georgia	11	4
South Carolina	5	42
North Carolina	14	26
Virginia	12	11
Pennsylvania	25	1
Florida	18	23
District of Columbia	7	93
Maryland	11	8
New York	46	18
New Jersey	13	32
Connecticut	8	41
Massachusetts	23	2
New Hampshire	3	87
Rhode Island	4	64

Closest to California states to learn Human-Computer Interaction

Computer Science subfields in California