51 Best colleges for Nanotechnology 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 Nanotechnology. A graph of 8.83M citations received by 143K academic papers made by 51 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. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Nanotechnology

#2 in the United States

#2 in North America

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

2. Stanford University

Stanford

For Nanotechnology

#3 in the United States

#3 in North America

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

3. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Nanotechnology

#10 in the United States

#10 in North America

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

4. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Nanotechnology

#12 in the United States

#12 in North America

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

5. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Nanotechnology

#19 in the United States

#20 in North America

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

6. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Nanotechnology

#20 in the United States

#21 in North America

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

7. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Nanotechnology

#32 in the United States

#35 in North America

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

8. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Nanotechnology

#39 in the United States

#44 in North America

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

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Nanotechnology

#43 in the United States

#48 in North America

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

10. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Nanotechnology

#50 in the United States

#55 in North America

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

11. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Nanotechnology

#79 in the United States

#86 in North America

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

12. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Nanotechnology

#91 in the United States

#102 in North America

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

13. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Nanotechnology

#186 in the United States

#214 in North America

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

14. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Nanotechnology

#200 in the United States

#229 in North America

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

15. Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

San Diego

For Nanotechnology

#210 in the United States

#239 in North America

Enrollment: 52
Male:Female: 32:68

16. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Nanotechnology

#215 in the United States

#244 in North America

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

17. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Nanotechnology

#230 in the United States

#261 in North America

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

18. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Nanotechnology

#242 in the United States

#274 in North America

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

19. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Nanotechnology

#244 in the United States

#277 in North America

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

20. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Nanotechnology

#246 in the United States

#279 in North America

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

21. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Nanotechnology

#248 in the United States

#281 in North America

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

22. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Nanotechnology

#267 in the United States

#302 in North America

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

23. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Nanotechnology

#275 in the United States

#312 in North America

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

24. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Nanotechnology

#288 in the United States

#325 in North America

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

25. Pomona College

Claremont

For Nanotechnology

#302 in the United States

#341 in North America

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

26. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Nanotechnology

#310 in the United States

#349 in North America

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

27. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Nanotechnology

#315 in the United States

#355 in North America

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

28. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Nanotechnology

#325 in the United States

#366 in North America

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

29. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Nanotechnology

#328 in the United States

#369 in North America

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

30. Western University of Health Sciences

Pomona

For Nanotechnology

#334 in the United States

#376 in North America

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

31. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Nanotechnology

#336 in the United States

#378 in North America

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

32. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Nanotechnology

#346 in the United States

#388 in North America

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

33. Harvey Mudd College

Claremont

For Nanotechnology

#348 in the United States

#390 in North America

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

34. California State University Maritime Academy

Vallejo

For Nanotechnology

#351 in the United States

#393 in North America

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

35. Chapman University

Orange

For Nanotechnology

#358 in the United States

#400 in North America

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

36. Graduate Theological Union

Berkeley

For Nanotechnology

#378 in the United States

#421 in North America

Enrollment: 150
Male:Female: 46:54

37. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Nanotechnology

#406 in the United States

#453 in North America

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

38. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Nanotechnology

#407 in the United States

#454 in North America

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

39. Soka University of America

Aliso Viejo

For Nanotechnology

#410 in the United States

#457 in North America

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

40. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Nanotechnology

#428 in the United States

#477 in North America

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

41. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Nanotechnology

#429 in the United States

#478 in North America

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

42. Keck Graduate Institute

Claremont

For Nanotechnology

#437 in the United States

#486 in North America

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

43. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Nanotechnology

#452 in the United States

#502 in North America

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

44. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Nanotechnology

#520 in the United States

#576 in North America

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

45. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield

For Nanotechnology

#535 in the United States

#592 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $12,966
Enrollment: 10,419

46. United States University

San Diego

For Nanotechnology

#554 in the United States

#611 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $20,197
Receiving Aid: 32%
Average Aid: $8,161

47. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park

For Nanotechnology

#559 in the United States

#616 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $9,094
Enrollment: 5,891

48. Alliant International University - San Diego

San Diego

For Nanotechnology

#565 in the United States

#622 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 0%
Net Price: $25,481
Receiving Aid: 33%
Average Aid: $9,411

49. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Nanotechnology

#567 in the United States

#624 in North America

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

50. Master's University and Seminary

Santa Clarita

For Nanotechnology

#574 in the United States

#631 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Net Price: $37,919
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $16,990

51. University of the West

Rosemead

For Nanotechnology

#586 in the United States

#643 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $14,713
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $9,445

Closest to California states to learn Nanotechnology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Nevada	3	139
Oregon	8	87
Utah	3	37
Arizona	4	25
Idaho	3	165
Washington	7	14
Colorado	9	45
New Mexico	4	77
Montana	3	153
Nebraska	7	68
South Dakota	4	187
Kansas	6	90
Texas	39	8
Oklahoma	5	111
North Dakota	2	116
Minnesota	12	21
Iowa	4	41
Missouri	10	61
Arkansas	7	80
Louisiana	12	86
Wisconsin	13	18
Illinois	23	6
Mississippi	5	150
Indiana	13	15
Michigan	15	9
Tennessee	15	54
Alabama	10	89
Kentucky	6	73
Ohio	25	28
Georgia	12	4
South Carolina	6	55
North Carolina	16	17
Virginia	16	49
Pennsylvania	33	11
Florida	21	23
District of Columbia	7	136
Maryland	15	27
New York	61	13
New Jersey	12	24
Vermont	3	184
Connecticut	11	46
Massachusetts	28	1
New Hampshire	4	127
Rhode Island	3	57
Maine	3	159
Puerto Rico	7	196