54 Best colleges for Media Studies 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 Media Studies. A graph of 376K citations received by 22.8K academic papers made by 54 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 Media Studies

#8 in the United States

#10 in North America

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

2. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Media Studies

#12 in the United States

#14 in North America

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

3. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Media Studies

#13 in the United States

#15 in North America

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

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Media Studies

#18 in the United States

#20 in North America

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

5. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Media Studies

#30 in the United States

#33 in North America

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

6. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Media Studies

#31 in the United States

#34 in North America

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

7. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Media Studies

#43 in the United States

#48 in North America

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

8. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Media Studies

#50 in the United States

#57 in North America

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

9. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Media Studies

#64 in the United States

#75 in North America

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

10. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Media Studies

#87 in the United States

#102 in North America

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

11. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Media Studies

#91 in the United States

#106 in North America

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

12. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Media Studies

#100 in the United States

#116 in North America

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

13. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Media Studies

#129 in the United States

#152 in North America

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

14. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Media Studies

#134 in the United States

#157 in North America

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

15. University of Redlands

Redlands

For Media Studies

#137 in the United States

#161 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1229
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $28,482

16. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Media Studies

#151 in the United States

#179 in North America

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

17. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Media Studies

#155 in the United States

#183 in North America

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

18. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Media Studies

#161 in the United States

#189 in North America

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

19. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Media Studies

#171 in the United States

#200 in North America

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

20. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Media Studies

#207 in the United States

#237 in North America

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

21. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Media Studies

#228 in the United States

#261 in North America

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

22. John F. Kennedy University

Pleasant Hill

For Media Studies

#232 in the United States

#265 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Founded: 1964

23. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Media Studies

#235 in the United States

#268 in North America

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

24. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Media Studies

#238 in the United States

#271 in North America

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

25. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Media Studies

#261 in the United States

#296 in North America

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

26. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Media Studies

#264 in the United States

#299 in North America

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

27. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Media Studies

#267 in the United States

#302 in North America

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

28. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Media Studies

#283 in the United States

#319 in North America

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

29. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Media Studies

#296 in the United States

#334 in North America

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

30. Pepperdine University

Malibu

For Media Studies

#297 in the United States

#335 in North America

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

31. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park

For Media Studies

#301 in the United States

#339 in North America

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

32. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Media Studies

#303 in the United States

#341 in North America

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

33. Claremont Graduate University

Claremont

For Media Studies

#304 in the United States

#342 in North America

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

34. Pomona College

Claremont

For Media Studies

#308 in the United States

#346 in North America

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

35. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Media Studies

#316 in the United States

#354 in North America

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

36. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Media Studies

#328 in the United States

#366 in North America

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

37. Chapman University

Orange

For Media Studies

#330 in the United States

#368 in North America

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

38. Mills College

Oakland

For Media Studies

#360 in the United States

#399 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,473

39. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Media Studies

#379 in the United States

#418 in North America

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

40. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Media Studies

#386 in the United States

#425 in North America

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

41. Claremont McKenna College

Claremont

For Media Studies

#392 in the United States

#431 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Average SAT: 1515
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $33,895

42. California State University - Stanislaus

Turlock

For Media Studies

#448 in the United States

#489 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $12,492
Enrollment: 9,724

43. California State University - San Marcos

San Marcos

For Media Studies

#449 in the United States

#490 in North America

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

44. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Media Studies

#456 in the United States

#498 in North America

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

45. Saint Mary's College of California

Moraga

For Media Studies

#463 in the United States

#506 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Net Price: $35,332
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $42,407

46. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Media Studies

#469 in the United States

#514 in North America

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

47. Scripps College

Claremont

For Media Studies

#470 in the United States

#515 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Average SAT: 1490
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $44,396

48. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Media Studies

#491 in the United States

#540 in North America

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

49. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Media Studies

#497 in the United States

#547 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $13,951
Enrollment: 15,182

50. Pitzer College

Claremont

For Media Studies

#512 in the United States

#562 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Net Price: $34,979
Receiving Aid: 45%
Average Aid: $51,487

51. Whittier College

Whittier

For Media Studies

#525 in the United States

#576 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $28,101
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $36,176

52. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield

For Media Studies

#537 in the United States

#591 in North America

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

53. University of the West

Rosemead

For Media Studies

#567 in the United States

#623 in North America

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

54. Dominican University of California

San Rafael

For Media Studies

#586 in the United States

#643 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1255
Net Price: $37,456
Receiving Aid: 100%

Closest to California states to learn Media Studies

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	9	80
Utah	5	68
Arizona	3	19
Idaho	3	219
Washington	12	7
Colorado	10	49
Nebraska	4	130
South Dakota	3	319
Kansas	7	51
Texas	26	6
Oklahoma	3	66
North Dakota	2	193
Minnesota	14	26
Iowa	7	27
Missouri	10	4
Arkansas	5	76
Louisiana	6	65
Wisconsin	11	5
Illinois	26	9
Mississippi	3	121
Indiana	16	20
Michigan	17	2
Tennessee	9	73
Alabama	8	54
Kentucky	6	56
Ohio	19	16
Georgia	13	52
South Carolina	9	39
North Carolina	19	28
Virginia	15	45
Pennsylvania	36	10
Florida	15	42
District of Columbia	5	32
Maryland	14	21
New York	67	1
New Jersey	18	22
Vermont	4	143
Hawaii	3	86
Connecticut	12	23
Massachusetts	34	24
New Hampshire	4	90
Rhode Island	5	168
Maine	6	194