List of 100 best universities in California, US

Updated:

EduRank

Top 100 universities in California ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 120M citations received by 2.95M academic publications made by 249 universities from California, the popularity of 13,435 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. Stanford University

Acceptance Rate
4%
Average SAT
1540
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$18,279

2. University of California - Berkeley

Acceptance Rate
11%
Receiving Aid
60%
Average Aid
$21,669
Enrollment
45,307

3. University of California - Los Angeles

Acceptance Rate
9%
Receiving Aid
57%
Average Aid
$21,766
Enrollment
46,430

4. University of California-San Diego

Acceptance Rate
24%
Receiving Aid
61%
Average Aid
$20,782
Enrollment
42,006

5. University of Southern California

Acceptance Rate
12%
Average SAT
1500
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$36,808

6. University of California - Davis

Acceptance Rate
37%
Receiving Aid
63%
Average Aid
$20,548
Enrollment
39,679

7. University of California - San Francisco

Acceptance Rate
13%
Enrollment
3,140
Male:Female
35:65
Founded
1864

8. University of California - Irvine

Acceptance Rate
21%
Receiving Aid
80%
Average Aid
$17,411
Enrollment
35,937

9. California Institute of Technology

Acceptance Rate
3%
Net Price
$20,755
Receiving Aid
71%
Average Aid
$59,192

10. University of California - Santa Barbara

Acceptance Rate
26%
Receiving Aid
59%
Average Aid
$20,389
Enrollment
26,420

11. University of California - Santa Cruz

Acceptance Rate
47%
Receiving Aid
74%
Average Aid
$21,202
Enrollment
19,478

12. University of California - Riverside

Acceptance Rate
69%
Receiving Aid
79%
Average Aid
$22,042
Enrollment
26,809

13. San Diego State University

Acceptance Rate
39%
Receiving Aid
98%
Average Aid
$9,934
Enrollment
37,402

14. San Francisco State University

Acceptance Rate
94%
Receiving Aid
78%
Average Aid
$9,830
Enrollment
25,282

15. San Jose State University

Acceptance Rate
77%
Receiving Aid
65%
Average Aid
$9,210
Enrollment
35,751

16. California State University - Northridge

Acceptance Rate
91%
Receiving Aid
85%
Average Aid
$10,511
Enrollment
37,579

17. Santa Clara University

Acceptance Rate
52%
Average SAT
1385
Average ACT
31
Net Price
$50,551

18. California State University - Long Beach

Acceptance Rate
40%
Receiving Aid
80%
Average Aid
$9,478
Enrollment
38,973

19. California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

Acceptance Rate
30%
Receiving Aid
57%
Average Aid
$10,065
Enrollment
22,000

20. California State University - Fullerton

Acceptance Rate
67%
Receiving Aid
80%
Average Aid
$9,194
Enrollment
40,386

21. Loma Linda University

Acceptance Rate
100%
Enrollment
4,280
Male:Female
33:67
Founded
1905

22. University of San Francisco

Acceptance Rate
71%
Average SAT
1310
Average ACT
29
Net Price
$42,953

23. Naval Postgraduate School

Acceptance Rate
23%
Enrollment
2,670
Male:Female
78:22
Founded
1909

24. University of San Diego

Acceptance Rate
53%
Net Price
$36,008
Receiving Aid
84%
Average Aid
$36,408

25. Chapman University

Acceptance Rate
73%
Average SAT
1300
Average ACT
29
Net Price
$45,033

26. California State University - Los Angeles

Acceptance Rate
87%
Receiving Aid
92%
Average Aid
$10,907
Enrollment
26,460

27. Loyola Marymount University

Acceptance Rate
41%
Average SAT
1380
Average ACT
31
Net Price
$52,815

28. California State University - Sacramento

Acceptance Rate
93%
Receiving Aid
82%
Average Aid
$9,590
Enrollment
31,818

29. Pepperdine University

Acceptance Rate
49%
Average SAT
1383
Average ACT
30
Net Price
$47,804

30. California State University - Fresno

Acceptance Rate
95%
Receiving Aid
89%
Average Aid
$9,968
Enrollment
23,999

31. University of California - Merced

Acceptance Rate
89%
Receiving Aid
86%
Average Aid
$25,868
Enrollment
9,103

32. Humboldt State University

Acceptance Rate
98%
Receiving Aid
76%
Average Aid
$9,262
Enrollment
6,025

33. Pomona College

Acceptance Rate
7%
Average SAT
1520
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$19,962

34. University of the Pacific

Acceptance Rate
93%
Average SAT
1272
Average ACT
29
Net Price
$28,164

35. Claremont Graduate University

Acceptance Rate
35%
Enrollment
1,903
Male:Female
40:60
Founded
1925

36. California State University - Chico

Acceptance Rate
95%
Receiving Aid
72%
Average Aid
$9,162
Enrollment
14,183

37. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Acceptance Rate
55%
Receiving Aid
77%
Average Aid
$9,040
Enrollment
27,503

38. California State University - San Bernardino

Acceptance Rate
91%
Receiving Aid
89%
Average Aid
$9,871
Enrollment
19,803

39. Sonoma State University

Acceptance Rate
94%
Receiving Aid
81%
Average Aid
$7,287
Enrollment
6,637

40. Harvey Mudd College

Acceptance Rate
13%
Average SAT
1520
Average ACT
35
Net Price
$39,850

41. Occidental College

Acceptance Rate
39%
Average SAT
1440
Average ACT
33
Net Price
$44,853

42. California State University - San Marcos

Acceptance Rate
95%
Receiving Aid
75%
Average Aid
$8,922
Enrollment
15,109

43. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Acceptance Rate
89%
Receiving Aid
91%
Average Aid
$9,819
Enrollment
16,426

44. California State University - East Bay

Acceptance Rate
96%
Receiving Aid
80%
Average Aid
$8,659
Enrollment
13,673

45. Claremont McKenna College

Acceptance Rate
10%
Average SAT
1495
Average ACT
34
Net Price
$28,701

46. Alliant International University - San Diego

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

47. Azusa Pacific University

Acceptance Rate
87%
Average SAT
1110
Average ACT
25
Net Price
$26,666

48. California State University - Bakersfield

Acceptance Rate
87%
Receiving Aid
90%
Average Aid
$10,750
Enrollment
9,613

49. California State University - Monterey Bay

Acceptance Rate
92%
Receiving Aid
77%
Average Aid
$8,702
Enrollment
7,045

50. Golden Gate University - San Francisco

Acceptance Rate
83%
Enrollment
2,661
Male:Female
55:45
Founded
1901

51. California State University - Stanislaus

Acceptance Rate
97%
Receiving Aid
89%
Average Aid
$9,696
Enrollment
10,154

52. Biola University

Acceptance Rate
57%
Average SAT
1235
Average ACT
27
Net Price
$31,522

53. University of Redlands

Acceptance Rate
82%
Average SAT
1196
Average ACT
28
Net Price
$28,157

55. Mills College

Acceptance Rate
87%
Net Price
$25,283
Receiving Aid
100%
Average Aid
$22,278

56. Saint Mary's College of California

Acceptance Rate
88%
Net Price
$32,129
Receiving Aid
100%
Average Aid
$39,139

57. University of California - Hastings College of Law

Acceptance Rate
38%
Enrollment
1,193
Male:Female
39:61
Founded
1878

58. Dominican University of California

Acceptance Rate
93%
Average SAT
1162
Average ACT
24
Net Price
$49,907

59. Pitzer College

Acceptance Rate
18%
Net Price
$39,809
Receiving Aid
39%
Average Aid
$39,594

60. Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

Acceptance Rate
80%
Net Price
$27,637
Receiving Aid
73%
Average Aid
$11,419

62. Whittier College

Acceptance Rate
75%
Average SAT
1240
Average ACT
27
Net Price
$28,368

64. University of La Verne

Acceptance Rate
74%
Average SAT
1137
Average ACT
22
Net Price
$25,103

66. Scripps College

Acceptance Rate
28%
Average SAT
1450
Average ACT
33
Net Price
$43,923

67. California Lutheran University

Acceptance Rate
87%
Average SAT
1235
Average ACT
28
Net Price
$30,416

68. Western University of Health Sciences

Acceptance Rate
8%
Enrollment
3,724
Male:Female
36:64
Founded
1977

69. West Los Angeles College

Acceptance Rate
100%
Receiving Aid
65%
Average Aid
$6,951
Enrollment
8,656

70. California Institute of Integral Studies

Acceptance Rate
90%
Enrollment
2,145
Male:Female
18:82
Founded
1968

71. Westmont College

Acceptance Rate
82%
Average SAT
1369
Average ACT
32
Net Price
$33,112

72. Point Loma Nazarene University

Acceptance Rate
82%
Net Price
$34,933
Receiving Aid
100%
Average Aid
$19,422

74. Palo Alto University

Acceptance Rate
12%
Enrollment
1,129
Male:Female
14:86
Founded
1975

75. Antioch University

Acceptance Rate
81%
Enrollment
867
Male:Female
26:74

76. Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles

Acceptance Rate
54%
Net Price
$39,401
Receiving Aid
100%
Average Aid
$2,599

77. California State University Maritime Academy

Acceptance Rate
96%
Receiving Aid
62%
Average Aid
$9,529
Enrollment
849

78. California Baptist University

Acceptance Rate
80%
Net Price
$27,304
Receiving Aid
98%
Average Aid
$22,757

79. California Institute of the Arts

Acceptance Rate
25%
Net Price
$55,225
Receiving Aid
59%
Average Aid
$20,474

80. Santa Monica College

Acceptance Rate
100%
Receiving Aid
64%
Average Aid
$4,650
Enrollment
22,375

81. La Sierra University

Acceptance Rate
92%
Net Price
$25,076
Receiving Aid
100%
Average Aid
$21,867

82. California College of the Arts

#1007 in North America
Acceptance Rate
76%
Net Price
$47,862
Receiving Aid
91%
Average Aid
$27,563

83. California Western School of Law

#1022 in North America
Acceptance Rate
46%
Enrollment
623
Male:Female
38:62
Founded
1924

85. Soka University of America

#1068 in North America
Acceptance Rate
57%
Average SAT
1340
Net Price
$17,928
Receiving Aid
100%

86. Art Center College of Design

#1086 in North America
Acceptance Rate
71%
Net Price
$53,617
Receiving Aid
57%
Average Aid
$16,665

87. Saybrook University

#1103 in North America
Enrollment
1,013
Male:Female
16:84
Founded
1971

88. Foothill College

#1113 in North America
Acceptance Rate
100%
Receiving Aid
67%
Average Aid
$4,300
Enrollment
12,434

89. Woodbury University

#1114 in North America
Acceptance Rate
63%
Net Price
$32,182
Receiving Aid
96%
Average Aid
$23,816

90. California State University - Channel Islands

#1155 in North America
Acceptance Rate
90%
Receiving Aid
76%
Average Aid
$9,412
Enrollment
6,128

91. Keck Graduate Institute

#1159 in North America
Acceptance Rate
50%
Enrollment
668
Male:Female
30:70
Founded
1997

92. Pacific Union College

#1165 in North America
Acceptance Rate
48%
Average SAT
1095
Average ACT
21
Net Price
$21,841

93. Southwestern Law School

#1178 in North America
Acceptance Rate
31%
Enrollment
927
Male:Female
40:60
Founded
1911

94. Fresno Pacific University

#1189 in North America
Acceptance Rate
75%
Net Price
$15,255
Receiving Aid
100%
Average Aid
$26,985

95. Ashford University

#1195 in North America
Acceptance Rate
100%
Net Price
$25,104
Receiving Aid
100%
Average Aid
$5,121

96. Master's University and Seminary

#1203 in North America
Acceptance Rate
78%
Net Price
$30,783
Receiving Aid
62%
Average Aid
$13,010

97. Trident University International

#1205 in North America
Net Price
$13,916
Receiving Aid
94%
Average Aid
$4,188

98. Cypress College

#1208 in North America
Acceptance Rate
100%
Receiving Aid
87%
Average Aid
$7,377
Enrollment
13,523

99. Samuel Merritt University

#1218 in North America
Acceptance Rate
66%
Enrollment
1,911
Male:Female
23:77
Founded
1909

100. Santa Ana College

#1221 in North America
Acceptance Rate
100%
Receiving Aid
97%
Average Aid
$7,374
Enrollment
23,852

Closest to California states

State
Universities
Unis
Best university country rank
Best uni United States Flag rank
Nevada 10 130
Oregon 31 63
Utah 20 40
Arizona 25 34
Idaho 10 148
Washington 57 8
Wyoming 1 141
Colorado 38 46
New Mexico 12 81
Montana 12 153
Nebraska 23 68
South Dakota 15 233
Kansas 32 75
Texas 119 26
Oklahoma 31 100
North Dakota 14 182
Minnesota 48 14
Iowa 39 47
Missouri 67 38
Arkansas 24 127
Louisiana 27 79
Wisconsin 47 13
Illinois 100 15
Mississippi 18 133
Indiana 55 39
Michigan 62 3
Tennessee 56 50
Alabama 33 84
Kentucky 38 60
Ohio 90 18
Georgia 63 44
West Virginia 26 112
South Carolina 37 87
North Carolina 65 24
Virginia 63 41
Alaska 6 181
Pennsylvania 155 12
Florida 109 22
District of Columbia 15 56
Maryland 34 9
New York 221 4
Delaware 5 90
New Jersey 47 23
Vermont 17 109
Hawaii 10 160
Connecticut 28 11
Massachusetts 88 1
New Hampshire 16 77
Rhode Island 12 49
Maine 19 152
Puerto Rico 52 373
US Virgin Islands 1 811
American Samoa 1 1702
Northern Mariana Islands 1 1594
Guam 2 614