48 Best Public Policy / Administration schools 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 Public Policy / Administration. A graph of 705K citations received by 22K academic papers made by 48 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 Public Policy / Administration

#1 in the United States

#1 in North America

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

2. Stanford University

Stanford

For Public Policy / Administration

#5 in the United States

#6 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 Public Policy / Administration

#19 in the United States

#20 in North America

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

4. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Public Policy / Administration

#22 in the United States

#23 in North America

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

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Public Policy / Administration

#25 in the United States

#26 in North America

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

6. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Public Policy / Administration

#48 in the United States

#52 in North America

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

7. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Public Policy / Administration

#53 in the United States

#60 in North America

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

8. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Public Policy / Administration

#65 in the United States

#76 in North America

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

9. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Public Policy / Administration

#89 in the United States

#102 in North America

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

10. John F. Kennedy University

Pleasant Hill

For Public Policy / Administration

#115 in the United States

#133 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Founded: 1964

11. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Public Policy / Administration

#116 in the United States

#135 in North America

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

12. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Public Policy / Administration

#137 in the United States

#159 in North America

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

13. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Public Policy / Administration

#143 in the United States

#165 in North America

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

14. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Public Policy / Administration

#144 in the United States

#166 in North America

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

15. Claremont Graduate University

Claremont

For Public Policy / Administration

#158 in the United States

#181 in North America

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

16. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Public Policy / Administration

#166 in the United States

#190 in North America

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

17. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Public Policy / Administration

#175 in the United States

#201 in North America

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

18. Pepperdine University

Malibu

For Public Policy / Administration

#176 in the United States

#202 in North America

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

19. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Public Policy / Administration

#187 in the United States

#213 in North America

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

20. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Public Policy / Administration

#188 in the United States

#214 in North America

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

21. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Public Policy / Administration

#189 in the United States

#215 in North America

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

22. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Public Policy / Administration

#196 in the United States

#223 in North America

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

23. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Public Policy / Administration

#212 in the United States

#240 in North America

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

24. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Public Policy / Administration

#241 in the United States

#269 in North America

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

25. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Public Policy / Administration

#250 in the United States

#278 in North America

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

26. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Public Policy / Administration

#251 in the United States

#279 in North America

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

27. Chapman University

Orange

For Public Policy / Administration

#252 in the United States

#280 in North America

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

28. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Public Policy / Administration

#294 in the United States

#328 in North America

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

29. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Public Policy / Administration

#295 in the United States

#329 in North America

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

30. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Public Policy / Administration

#296 in the United States

#331 in North America

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

31. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Public Policy / Administration

#297 in the United States

#332 in North America

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

32. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Public Policy / Administration

#298 in the United States

#334 in North America

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

33. Claremont McKenna College

Claremont

For Public Policy / Administration

#305 in the United States

#341 in North America

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

34. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Public Policy / Administration

#319 in the United States

#356 in North America

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

35. Golden Gate University - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Public Policy / Administration

#370 in the United States

#409 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Enrollment: 3,098
Male:Female: 53:47
Founded: 1901

36. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Public Policy / Administration

#371 in the United States

#410 in North America

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

37. Occidental College

Los Angeles

For Public Policy / Administration

#372 in the United States

#411 in North America

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

38. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Public Policy / Administration

#375 in the United States

#414 in North America

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

39. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Public Policy / Administration

#376 in the United States

#415 in North America

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

40. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Public Policy / Administration

#388 in the United States

#428 in North America

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

41. Pomona College

Claremont

For Public Policy / Administration

#399 in the United States

#440 in North America

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

42. University of Redlands

Redlands

For Public Policy / Administration

#425 in the United States

#468 in North America

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

43. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Public Policy / Administration

#427 in the United States

#470 in North America

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

44. University of La Verne

La Verne

For Public Policy / Administration

#429 in the United States

#472 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1111
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $21,530

45. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Public Policy / Administration

#431 in the United States

#474 in North America

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

46. University of the West

Rosemead

For Public Policy / Administration

#471 in the United States

#519 in North America

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

47. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Public Policy / Administration

#478 in the United States

#526 in North America

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

48. California State University Maritime Academy

Vallejo

For Public Policy / Administration

#482 in the United States

#531 in North America

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

Closest to California states to learn Public Policy / Administration

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Oregon	7	102
Utah	4	66
Arizona	3	20
Idaho	3	163
Washington	6	7
Colorado	9	58
Nebraska	4	79
South Dakota	3	318
Kansas	5	56
Texas	28	41
Oklahoma	4	76
North Dakota	2	229
Minnesota	10	28
Iowa	5	59
Missouri	6	16
Arkansas	6	118
Louisiana	6	98
Wisconsin	10	17
Illinois	20	12
Mississippi	5	179
Indiana	10	38
Michigan	9	4
Tennessee	11	45
Alabama	8	130
Kentucky	6	60
Ohio	17	18
Georgia	13	47
South Carolina	8	10
North Carolina	15	9
Virginia	15	31
Pennsylvania	24	8
Florida	15	32
District of Columbia	6	23
Maryland	11	11
New York	52	6
New Jersey	11	24
Connecticut	9	2
Massachusetts	26	3
New Hampshire	3	80
Rhode Island	4	108
Maine	6	203