54 Best colleges for Media Studies 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 Media Studies. A graph of 360K citations received by 22.6K 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: $17,998

2. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Media Studies

#12 in the United States

#14 in North America

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

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: 60%
Average Aid: $22,441
Enrollment: 46,678

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Media Studies

#18 in the United States

#20 in North America

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

5. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Media Studies

#30 in the United States

#33 in North America

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

6. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Media Studies

#31 in the United States

#34 in North America

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

7. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Media Studies

#42 in the United States

#47 in North America

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

8. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Media Studies

#50 in the United States

#57 in North America

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

9. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Media Studies

#62 in the United States

#73 in North America

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

10. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Media Studies

#85 in the United States

#99 in North America

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

11. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Media Studies

#90 in the United States

#105 in North America

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

12. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Media Studies

#100 in the United States

#116 in North America

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

13. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Media Studies

#128 in the United States

#151 in North America

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

14. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Media Studies

#132 in the United States

#155 in North America

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

15. University of Redlands

Redlands

For Media Studies

#133 in the United States

#156 in North America

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

16. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Media Studies

#151 in the United States

#178 in North America

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

17. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Media Studies

#156 in the United States

#184 in North America

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

18. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Media Studies

#160 in the United States

#188 in North America

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

19. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Media Studies

#170 in the United States

#199 in North America

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

20. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Media Studies

#209 in the United States

#239 in North America

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

21. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Media Studies

#228 in the United States

#261 in North America

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

22. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Media Studies

#232 in the United States

#265 in North America

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

23. John F. Kennedy University

Pleasant Hill

For Media Studies

#234 in the United States

#267 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Founded: 1964

24. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Media Studies

#239 in the United States

#272 in North America

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

25. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Media Studies

#263 in the United States

#298 in North America

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

26. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Media Studies

#264 in the United States

#299 in North America

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

27. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Media Studies

#270 in the United States

#305 in North America

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

28. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Media Studies

#279 in the United States

#314 in North America

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

29. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Media Studies

#297 in the United States

#335 in North America

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

30. Pepperdine University

Malibu

For Media Studies

#298 in the United States

#336 in North America

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

31. Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park

For Media Studies

#301 in the United States

#339 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Receiving Aid: 86%
Average Aid: $8,546
Enrollment: 5,990

32. Claremont Graduate University

Claremont

For Media Studies

#302 in the United States

#340 in North America

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

33. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Media Studies

#306 in the United States

#344 in North America

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

34. Pomona College

Claremont

For Media Studies

#309 in the United States

#347 in North America

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

35. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Media Studies

#321 in the United States

#359 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1430
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $47,113

36. Chapman University

Orange

For Media Studies

#335 in the United States

#373 in North America

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

37. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Media Studies

#346 in the United States

#384 in North America

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

38. Mills College

Oakland

For Media Studies

#360 in the United States

#398 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1455
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $25,283

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

40. Claremont McKenna College

Claremont

For Media Studies

#384 in the United States

#423 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1505
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,978

41. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Media Studies

#405 in the United States

#444 in North America

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

42. California State University - Stanislaus

Turlock

For Media Studies

#445 in the United States

#485 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $11,362
Enrollment: 9,841

43. California State University - San Marcos

San Marcos

For Media Studies

#454 in the United States

#495 in North America

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

44. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Media Studies

#455 in the United States

#496 in North America

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

45. Saint Mary's College of California

Moraga

For Media Studies

#466 in the United States

#510 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Net Price: $31,615
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $42,080

46. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Media Studies

#469 in the United States

#513 in North America

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

47. Scripps College

Claremont

For Media Studies

#477 in the United States

#521 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $45,505

48. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Media Studies

#496 in the United States

#545 in North America

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

49. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Media Studies

#502 in the United States

#552 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $11,074
Enrollment: 15,181

50. Pitzer College

Claremont

For Media Studies

#504 in the United States

#554 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Net Price: $34,801
Receiving Aid: 39%
Average Aid: $48,031

51. Whittier College

Whittier

For Media Studies

#521 in the United States

#573 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Net Price: $32,436
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $32,008

52. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield

For Media Studies

#532 in the United States

#585 in North America

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

53. University of the West

Rosemead

For Media Studies

#571 in the United States

#627 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $11,137
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $13,807

54. Dominican University of California

San Rafael

For Media Studies

#582 in the United States

#639 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1181
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $51,292

Closest to California states to learn Media Studies

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	9	81
Utah	4	68
Arizona	3	19
Idaho	3	225
Washington	12	7
Colorado	10	51
Nebraska	4	131
South Dakota	3	317
Kansas	7	49
Texas	26	6
Oklahoma	3	67
North Dakota	2	190
Minnesota	13	26
Iowa	7	27
Missouri	10	4
Arkansas	5	74
Louisiana	6	65
Wisconsin	11	5
Illinois	26	9
Mississippi	3	123
Indiana	16	20
Michigan	16	2
Tennessee	9	72
Alabama	8	54
Kentucky	6	56
Ohio	19	16
Georgia	13	53
South Carolina	9	39
North Carolina	19	28
Virginia	15	44
Pennsylvania	36	10
Florida	15	43
District of Columbia	5	32
Maryland	13	21
New York	67	1
New Jersey	18	23
Vermont	4	143
Hawaii	3	86
Connecticut	12	22
Massachusetts	33	24
New Hampshire	4	89
Rhode Island	5	174
Maine	6	197