44 Best colleges for Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) 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 Human-Computer Interaction. A graph of 1.3M citations received by 33.6K 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.

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: $17,998

2. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Human-Computer Interaction

#7 in the United States

#7 in North America

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

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: 1495
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $41,496

4. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Human-Computer Interaction

#13 in the United States

#15 in North America

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

5. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Human-Computer Interaction

#26 in the United States

#29 in North America

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

6. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Human-Computer Interaction

#30 in the United States

#33 in North America

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

7. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Human-Computer Interaction

#38 in the United States

#44 in North America

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

8. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Human-Computer Interaction

#48 in the United States

#56 in North America

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

9. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Human-Computer Interaction

#53 in the United States

#62 in North America

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

10. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Human-Computer Interaction

#68 in the United States

#81 in North America

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

11. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Human-Computer Interaction

#82 in the United States

#98 in North America

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

12. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Human-Computer Interaction

#96 in the United States

#113 in North America

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

13. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Human-Computer Interaction

#127 in the United States

#150 in North America

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

14. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Human-Computer Interaction

#128 in the United States

#151 in North America

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

15. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Human-Computer Interaction

#131 in the United States

#154 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Enrollment: 2,600
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: 63%
Receiving Aid: 75%
Average Aid: $21,566
Enrollment: 26,426

17. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Human-Computer Interaction

#187 in the United States

#218 in North America

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

18. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Human-Computer Interaction

#194 in the United States

#225 in North America

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

19. Claremont Graduate University

Claremont

For Human-Computer Interaction

#198 in the United States

#229 in North America

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

20. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Human-Computer Interaction

#218 in the United States

#250 in North America

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

21. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Human-Computer Interaction

#220 in the United States

#252 in North America

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

22. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Human-Computer Interaction

#225 in the United States

#257 in North America

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

23. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Human-Computer Interaction

#233 in the United States

#267 in North America

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

24. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Human-Computer Interaction

#235 in the United States

#269 in North America

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

25. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Human-Computer Interaction

#236 in the United States

#270 in North America

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

26. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Human-Computer Interaction

#252 in the United States

#286 in North America

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

27. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Human-Computer Interaction

#274 in the United States

#309 in North America

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

28. Harvey Mudd College

Claremont

For Human-Computer Interaction

#277 in the United States

#313 in North America

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

29. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Human-Computer Interaction

#290 in the United States

#327 in North America

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

30. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Human-Computer Interaction

#292 in the United States

#329 in North America

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

31. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Human-Computer Interaction

#295 in the United States

#332 in North America

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

32. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Human-Computer Interaction

#324 in the United States

#364 in North America

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

33. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Human-Computer Interaction

#332 in the United States

#373 in North America

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

34. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Human-Computer Interaction

#343 in the United States

#385 in North America

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

35. Chapman University

Orange

For Human-Computer Interaction

#344 in the United States

#386 in North America

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

36. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Human-Computer Interaction

#354 in the United States

#397 in North America

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

37. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Human-Computer Interaction

#357 in the United States

#401 in North America

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

38. California State University - San Marcos

San Marcos

For Human-Computer Interaction

#374 in the United States

#418 in North America

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

39. California State University - Channel Islands

Camarillo

For Human-Computer Interaction

#378 in the United States

#423 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $12,804
Enrollment: 5,688

40. California State University - Monterey Bay

Seaside

For Human-Computer Interaction

#381 in the United States

#426 in North America

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

41. Pepperdine University

Malibu

For Human-Computer Interaction

#403 in the United States

#451 in North America

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

42. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Human-Computer Interaction

#411 in the United States

#459 in North America

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

43. Pomona College

Claremont

For Human-Computer Interaction

#417 in the United States

#465 in North America

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

44. California State University Maritime Academy

Vallejo

For Human-Computer Interaction

#420 in the United States

#468 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Receiving Aid: 66%
Average Aid: $11,063
Enrollment: 805

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	22
Idaho	3	205
Washington	7	6
Colorado	8	21
New Mexico	3	86
Nebraska	4	107
Kansas	5	85
Texas	34	16
Oklahoma	4	130
North Dakota	2	199
Minnesota	9	20
Iowa	3	40
Missouri	9	84
Arkansas	5	65
Louisiana	6	121
Wisconsin	7	17
Illinois	18	10
Mississippi	5	109
Indiana	11	14
Michigan	11	5
Tennessee	10	47
Alabama	6	122
Kentucky	5	98
Ohio	15	29
Georgia	11	4
South Carolina	4	44
North Carolina	14	25
Virginia	12	11
Pennsylvania	24	1
Florida	17	24
District of Columbia	6	94
Maryland	11	8
New York	44	19
New Jersey	13	32
Connecticut	8	41
Massachusetts	22	2
New Hampshire	3	87
Rhode Island	4	61

Closest to California states to learn Human-Computer Interaction

Computer Science subfields in California