54 Best colleges for Sports Medicine 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 Sports Medicine. A graph of 1.69M citations received by 37K 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 Sports Medicine

#4 in the United States

#6 in North America

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

2. University of California - San Francisco

San Francisco

For Sports Medicine

#13 in the United States

#20 in North America

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

3. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Sports Medicine

#18 in the United States

#25 in North America

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

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles

For Sports Medicine

#21 in the United States

#30 in North America

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

5. University of California-San Diego

San Diego

For Sports Medicine

#24 in the United States

#33 in North America

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

6. University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley

For Sports Medicine

#50 in the United States

#62 in North America

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

7. San Diego State University

San Diego

For Sports Medicine

#51 in the United States

#63 in North America

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

8. University of California - Irvine

Irvine

For Sports Medicine

#55 in the United States

#67 in North America

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

9. University of California - Davis

Davis

For Sports Medicine

#58 in the United States

#70 in North America

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

10. San Jose State University

San Jose

For Sports Medicine

#126 in the United States

#147 in North America

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

11. Loma Linda University

Loma Linda

For Sports Medicine

#130 in the United States

#151 in North America

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

12. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton

For Sports Medicine

#132 in the United States

#154 in North America

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

13. California Institute of Technology

Pasadena

For Sports Medicine

#177 in the United States

#205 in North America

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

14. University of California - Riverside

Riverside

For Sports Medicine

#193 in the United States

#222 in North America

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

15. Western University of Health Sciences

Pomona

For Sports Medicine

#195 in the United States

#224 in North America

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

16. University of California - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara

For Sports Medicine

#199 in the United States

#228 in North America

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

17. California State University - Sacramento

Sacramento

For Sports Medicine

#210 in the United States

#242 in North America

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

18. San Francisco State University

San Francisco

For Sports Medicine

#214 in the United States

#246 in North America

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

19. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach

For Sports Medicine

#220 in the United States

#253 in North America

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

20. California State University - Northridge

Los Angeles

For Sports Medicine

#230 in the United States

#264 in North America

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

21. Palo Alto University

Palo Alto

For Sports Medicine

#233 in the United States

#267 in North America

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

22. University of California - Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

For Sports Medicine

#260 in the United States

#295 in North America

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

23. California State University - Fresno

Fresno

For Sports Medicine

#267 in the United States

#302 in North America

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

24. Chapman University

Orange

For Sports Medicine

#281 in the United States

#317 in North America

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

25. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo

For Sports Medicine

#283 in the United States

#319 in North America

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

26. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Pomona

For Sports Medicine

#287 in the United States

#323 in North America

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

27. Alliant International University - San Diego

San Diego

For Sports Medicine

#298 in the United States

#334 in North America

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

28. University of the Pacific

Stockton

For Sports Medicine

#300 in the United States

#336 in North America

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

29. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles

For Sports Medicine

#301 in the United States

#337 in North America

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

30. California State University - San Marcos

San Marcos

For Sports Medicine

#331 in the United States

#370 in North America

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

31. Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

Los Angeles

For Sports Medicine

#347 in the United States

#387 in North America

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

32. California State University - Chico

Chico

For Sports Medicine

#350 in the United States

#390 in North America

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

33. California State University - San Bernardino

San Bernardino

For Sports Medicine

#369 in the United States

#411 in North America

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

34. Pepperdine University

Malibu

For Sports Medicine

#372 in the United States

#414 in North America

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

35. University of San Diego

San Diego

For Sports Medicine

#373 in the United States

#415 in North America

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

36. Humboldt State University

Arcata

For Sports Medicine

#375 in the United States

#417 in North America

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

37. Samuel Merritt University

Oakland

For Sports Medicine

#381 in the United States

#424 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 1,926
Male:Female: 22:78
Founded: 1909

38. University of San Francisco

San Francisco

For Sports Medicine

#386 in the United States

#429 in North America

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

39. Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles

For Sports Medicine

#407 in the United States

#450 in North America

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

40. California State University - Monterey Bay

Seaside

For Sports Medicine

#409 in the United States

#452 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Receiving Aid: 76%
Average Aid: $12,185
Enrollment: 7,713

41. West Los Angeles College

Culver

For Sports Medicine

#412 in the United States

#456 in North America

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

42. Azusa Pacific University

Azusa

For Sports Medicine

#423 in the United States

#467 in North America

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

43. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson

For Sports Medicine

#445 in the United States

#491 in North America

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

44. Santa Clara University

Santa Clara

For Sports Medicine

#467 in the United States

#514 in North America

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

45. University of California - Merced

Merced

For Sports Medicine

#472 in the United States

#519 in North America

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

46. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield

For Sports Medicine

#500 in the United States

#548 in North America

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

47. Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey

For Sports Medicine

#506 in the United States

#554 in North America

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

48. California Lutheran University

Thousand Oaks

For Sports Medicine

#513 in the United States

#561 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $32,774

49. Saybrook University

Oakland

For Sports Medicine

#514 in the United States

#562 in North America

Enrollment: 1,057
Male:Female: 17:83
Founded: 1971

50. California State University - East Bay

Hayward

For Sports Medicine

#517 in the United States

#565 in North America

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

51. Claremont Graduate University

Claremont

For Sports Medicine

#538 in the United States

#587 in North America

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

52. Point Loma Nazarene University

San Diego

For Sports Medicine

#544 in the United States

#594 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $39,696

53. Dominican University of California

San Rafael

For Sports Medicine

#549 in the United States

#599 in North America

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

54. California Baptist University

Riverside

For Sports Medicine

#550 in the United States

#600 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Net Price: $27,862
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $26,743

Closest to California states to learn Sports Medicine

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Nevada	3	106
Oregon	10	35
Utah	7	26
Arizona	5	37
Idaho	3	163
Washington	10	5
Colorado	12	61
Nebraska	6	102
South Dakota	2	246
Kansas	5	79
Texas	38	25
Oklahoma	7	98
North Dakota	2	224
Minnesota	9	11
Iowa	7	27
Missouri	15	16
Arkansas	6	124
Louisiana	9	82
Wisconsin	10	19
Illinois	19	8
Mississippi	4	127
Indiana	12	65
Michigan	14	3
Tennessee	12	57
Alabama	9	30
Kentucky	8	49
Ohio	20	12
Georgia	14	28
South Carolina	7	20
North Carolina	15	9
Virginia	16	34
Pennsylvania	35	2
Florida	17	7
District of Columbia	5	84
Maryland	10	6
New York	49	10
New Jersey	12	52
Connecticut	7	32
Massachusetts	20	1
New Hampshire	4	151
Rhode Island	3	53
Maine	3	274