51 Best colleges for Oncology and Cancer research 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 Oncology and Cancer research. A graph of 12.1M citations received by 210K 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 - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Oncology and Cancer research

#4 in the United States

#4 in North America

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

2. Stanford University

Stanford

For Oncology and Cancer research

#6 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 Oncology and Cancer research

#10 in the United States

#11 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 Oncology and Cancer research

#15 in the United States

#16 in North America

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

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Oncology and Cancer research

#21 in the United States

#22 in North America

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

6. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Oncology and Cancer research

#49 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 Oncology and Cancer research

#52 in the United States

#55 in North America

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

8. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Oncology and Cancer research

#59 in the United States

#63 in North America

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

9. Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

San Diego

For Oncology and Cancer research

#78 in the United States

#87 in North America

Enrollment: 52
Male:Female: 32:68

10. Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope

Duarte

For Oncology and Cancer research

#94 in the United States

#106 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 90
Founded: 1994

11. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Oncology and Cancer research

#113 in the United States

#126 in North America

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

12. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Oncology and Cancer research

#120 in the United States

#133 in North America

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

13. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Oncology and Cancer research

#145 in the United States

#160 in North America

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

14. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Oncology and Cancer research

#151 in the United States

#167 in North America

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

15. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Oncology and Cancer research

#152 in the United States

#168 in North America

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

16. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Oncology and Cancer research

#178 in the United States

#196 in North America

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

17. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Oncology and Cancer research

#183 in the United States

#202 in North America

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

18. Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

Los Angeles

For Oncology and Cancer research

#198 in the United States

#218 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Net Price: $35,558
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $4,276

19. West Los Angeles College

Culver

For Oncology and Cancer research

#203 in the United States

#224 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 83%
Average Aid: $5,857
Enrollment: 9,255

20. Western University of Health Sciences

Pomona

For Oncology and Cancer research

#221 in the United States

#243 in North America

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

21. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Oncology and Cancer research

#260 in the United States

#286 in North America

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

22. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Oncology and Cancer research

#278 in the United States

#309 in North America

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

23. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Oncology and Cancer research

#286 in the United States

#318 in North America

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

24. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Oncology and Cancer research

#304 in the United States

#337 in North America

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

25. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Oncology and Cancer research

#309 in the United States

#342 in North America

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

26. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Oncology and Cancer research

#319 in the United States

#354 in North America

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

27. Chapman University

Orange

For Oncology and Cancer research

#323 in the United States

#358 in North America

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

28. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Oncology and Cancer research

#336 in the United States

#371 in North America

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

29. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Oncology and Cancer research

#338 in the United States

#373 in North America

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

30. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Oncology and Cancer research

#352 in the United States

#388 in North America

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

31. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Oncology and Cancer research

#355 in the United States

#391 in North America

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

32. Keck Graduate Institute

Claremont

For Oncology and Cancer research

#365 in the United States

#401 in North America

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

33. Pomona College

Claremont

For Oncology and Cancer research

#375 in the United States

#411 in North America

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

34. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Oncology and Cancer research

#376 in the United States

#412 in North America

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

35. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Oncology and Cancer research

#378 in the United States

#414 in North America

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

36. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Oncology and Cancer research

#410 in the United States

#446 in North America

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

37. Touro University California

Vallejo

For Oncology and Cancer research

#411 in the United States

#447 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 0%
Enrollment: 1,144
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1997

38. Dominican University of California

San Rafael

For Oncology and Cancer research

#436 in the United States

#472 in North America

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

39. Alliant International University - San Diego

San Diego

For Oncology and Cancer research

#439 in the United States

#475 in North America

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

40. Azusa Pacific University

Azusa

For Oncology and Cancer research

#457 in the United States

#495 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1111
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $26,143

41. Graduate Theological Union

Berkeley

For Oncology and Cancer research

#470 in the United States

#508 in North America

Enrollment: 150
Male:Female: 46:54

42. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Oncology and Cancer research

#475 in the United States

#515 in North America

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

43. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Oncology and Cancer research

#482 in the United States

#522 in North America

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

44. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Oncology and Cancer research

#483 in the United States

#523 in North America

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

45. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Oncology and Cancer research

#486 in the United States

#526 in North America

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

46. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Oncology and Cancer research

#510 in the United States

#553 in North America

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

47. Fielding Graduate University

Santa Barbara

For Oncology and Cancer research

#535 in the United States

#581 in North America

Enrollment: 915
Male:Female: 18:82
Founded: 1974

48. Claremont Graduate University

Claremont

For Oncology and Cancer research

#559 in the United States

#605 in North America

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

49. University of the West

Rosemead

For Oncology and Cancer research

#565 in the United States

#611 in North America

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

50. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Oncology and Cancer research

#571 in the United States

#617 in North America

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

51. United States University

San Diego

For Oncology and Cancer research

#577 in the United States

#623 in North America

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

Closest to California states to learn Oncology and Cancer research

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Nevada	4	170
Oregon	6	36
Utah	4	40
Arizona	5	50
Idaho	3	305
Washington	8	12
Colorado	8	37
New Mexico	3	80
Nebraska	6	56
South Dakota	4	182
Kansas	6	105
Texas	40	2
Oklahoma	7	86
North Dakota	3	179
Minnesota	8	9
Iowa	5	55
Missouri	12	17
Arkansas	6	68
Louisiana	10	70
Wisconsin	6	29
Illinois	21	19
Mississippi	5	118
Indiana	14	26
Michigan	12	5
Tennessee	17	31
Alabama	11	28
Kentucky	5	57
Ohio	21	22
Georgia	15	24
West Virginia	8	100
South Carolina	9	58
North Carolina	20	14
Virginia	15	47
Pennsylvania	38	7
Florida	22	39
District of Columbia	6	38
Maryland	12	3
New York	49	8
New Jersey	13	43
Connecticut	12	13
Massachusetts	28	1
New Hampshire	3	73
Rhode Island	4	64
Maine	3	302
Puerto Rico	8	230