California Best College Rankings
Stanford University ranked first and California Institute of Technology ranked second in California college rankings. The 2024 average tuition & fees of the California best colleges is $26,487 for California residents and $36,404 for out-of-state students. The average acceptance rate is 62.69% and the average SAT score is 1,334. The average number of student population is 11,752 and the average student to faculty ratio is 14 to 1.
Below statements summarize the average statistics of tuition, admission, and more academic factors for California best colleges. For the statistics, we only include 4 years colleges such as national universities and liberal arts colleges.
- The average undergraduate tuition & fees is $36,404 and University of Southern California has the highest tuition & fees of $68,237 and University of Phoenix-California has the lowest tuition & fees of $9,552.
- The average graduate tuition & fees is $25,369 and Claremont McKenna College has the highest tuition & fees of $68,525 and The Master's University and Seminary has the lowest tuition & fees of $8,550.
- The average SAT score is 1,334 and Stanford University has the highest SAT score of 1,550 and Pacific Union College has the lowest score of 1,080.
- The average acceptance rate is 62.69% and California Institute of Technology has the tightest (lowest) rate of 3% and Simpson University has the loosest (lowest) rate of 99%.
- The average student population is 11,752 and University of Southern California has the most students of 48,945 and American Jewish University has the fewest students of 108.
- The average graduation rate is 65.74% and Stanford University has the highest rate of 95% and DeVry University-California has the lowest rate of 8%.
California Best Colleges Comparison
The below table compares the 91 best colleges in California with important academic factors. You can sort the table by touching/clicking a column name that you want to sort.
| Rank | College Name | Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | Graduate Tuition & Fees | SAT Score | Acceptance Rate | Population | Graduation Rate | Student to Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | $62,484 | $59,499 | 1,550 | 4.0% | 18,283 | 95% | 5 to 1 |
| 2 | California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | $63,255 | $63,063 | - | 3.0% | 2,401 | 94% | 3 to 1 |
| 3 | Pomona College Claremont, CA | $62,326 | - | 1,520 | 7.0% | 1,716 | 94% | 7 to 1 |
| 4 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | $68,237 | $68,128 | 1,510 | 10.0% | 48,945 | 92% | 9 to 1 |
| 5 | Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | $64,150 | $68,525 | 1,510 | 11.0% | 1,389 | 91% | 8 to 1 |
| 6 | Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA | $66,255 | - | 1,530 | 13.0% | 922 | 92% | 8 to 1 |
| 7 | Soka University of America Aliso Viejo, CA | $37,450 | $37,450 | 1,360 | 70.0% | 455 | 87% | 7 to 1 |
| 8 | Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey Monterey, CA | $47,026 | $47,026 | - | - | 657 | - | 1 to 1 |
| 9 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | $44,524 | $28,985 | - | 9.0% | 46,430 | 92% | 18 to 1 |
| 10 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | $45,627 | $30,363 | - | 12.0% | 45,307 | 94% | 19 to 1 |
| 11 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA | $59,241 | $25,873 | 1,420 | 44.0% | 9,178 | 88% | 12 to 1 |
| 12 | Scripps College Claremont, CA | $63,434 | $48,598 | 1,480 | 34.0% | 1,099 | 84% | 10 to 1 |
| 13 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA | $58,489 | $21,902 | - | 40.0% | 10,165 | 81% | 11 to 1 |
| 14 | Pitzer College Claremont, CA | $62,692 | - | - | 17.0% | 1,212 | 85% | 10 to 1 |
| 15 | Pepperdine University Malibu, CA | $66,742 | $42,020 | 1,360 | 50.0% | 10,030 | 83% | 13 to 1 |
| 16 | Chapman University Orange, CA | $62,784 | $38,604 | 1,340 | 56.0% | 10,014 | 83% | 12 to 1 |
| 17 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | $45,742 | $29,555 | - | 28.0% | 26,420 | 85% | 17 to 1 |
| 18 | University of the Pacific Stockton, CA | $55,340 | $53,544 | 1,300 | 95.0% | 6,277 | 73% | 14 to 1 |
| 19 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | $46,042 | $29,637 | - | 25.0% | 42,006 | 87% | 19 to 1 |
| 20 | Westmont College Santa Barbara, CA | $51,790 | - | 1,335 | 80.0% | 1,284 | 73% | 10 to 1 |
| 21 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | $46,024 | $29,662 | - | 42.0% | 39,679 | 86% | 21 to 1 |
| 22 | Thomas Aquinas College Santa Paula, CA | $28,700 | - | 1,250 | 79.1% | 516 | 85% | 11 to 1 |
| 23 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | $30,995 | $22,013 | - | 30.0% | 22,000 | 85% | 20 to 1 |
| 24 | Biola University La Mirada, CA | $46,704 | $12,420 | 1,240 | 60.0% | 5,387 | 72% | 13 to 1 |
| 25 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | $45,014 | $29,377 | - | 26.0% | 35,937 | 86% | 18 to 1 |
| 26 | Occidental College Los Angeles, CA | $63,446 | $63,446 | 1,450 | 40.0% | 1,942 | 82% | 9 to 1 |
| 27 | Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA | $43,600 | $17,330 | 1,145 | 79.0% | 7,169 | 61% | 10 to 1 |
| 28 | The Master's University and Seminary Santa Clarita, CA | $36,930 | $8,550 | - | 76.0% | 2,606 | 73% | 13 to 1 |
| 29 | University of La Verne La Verne, CA | $49,450 | $15,790 | 1,115 | 48.0% | 5,662 | 63% | 11 to 1 |
| 30 | University of San Diego San Diego, CA | $56,444 | $29,328 | - | 47.0% | 8,815 | 82% | 13 to 1 |
| 31 | Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa, CA | $39,950 | $12,718 | - | 65.0% | 2,256 | 59% | 16 to 1 |
| 32 | Saint Mary's College of California Moraga, CA | $56,134 | $33,900 | - | 89.0% | 2,765 | 72% | 9 to 1 |
| 33 | Whittier College Whittier, CA | $49,864 | $14,742 | - | 85.0% | 1,192 | 65% | 10 to 1 |
| 34 | Fresno Pacific University Fresno, CA | $35,558 | $13,200 | - | 58.0% | 3,032 | 50% | 10 to 1 |
| 35 | Hope International University Fullerton, CA | $36,250 | $17,650 | - | 35.0% | 1,116 | 50% | 13 to 1 |
| 36 | DeVry University-California Ontario, CA | $15,032 | $17,552 | - | 43.0% | 1,677 | 8% | 16 to 1 |
| 37 | San Diego State University San Diego, CA | $20,170 | $19,228 | - | 34.0% | 37,402 | 78% | 25 to 1 |
| 39 | University of Redlands Redlands, CA | $57,614 | $25,072 | 1,205 | 81.0% | 3,460 | 66% | 10 to 1 |
| 40 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA | $18,888 | $17,946 | - | 47.0% | 38,973 | 72% | 22 to 1 |
| 41 | La Sierra University Riverside, CA | $35,910 | $15,997 | - | 93.0% | 1,614 | 53% | 10 to 1 |
| 42 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | $18,953 | $18,011 | - | 87.0% | 40,386 | 69% | 24 to 1 |
| 43 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | $45,337 | $29,957 | - | 63.0% | 19,478 | 76% | 23 to 1 |
| 44 | California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA | $18,860 | $17,918 | - | 96.0% | 23,999 | 56% | 21 to 1 |
| 45 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA | $19,319 | $18,377 | - | 74.0% | 27,503 | 66% | 25 to 1 |
| 46 | Concordia University-Irvine Irvine, CA | $41,390 | $8,730 | - | 60.0% | 3,744 | 63% | 14 to 1 |
| 47 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA | $19,872 | $18,930 | - | 80.0% | 35,751 | 68% | 22 to 1 |
| 48 | California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA | $19,555 | $18,613 | - | 98.0% | 19,803 | 54% | 23 to 1 |
| 49 | Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, CA | $43,550 | $11,880 | 1,270 | 82.0% | 4,319 | 75% | 13 to 1 |
| 50 | California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | $18,698 | $17,756 | - | 92.0% | 26,460 | 51% | 22 to 1 |
| 51 | California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA | $19,482 | $18,540 | - | 94.0% | 31,818 | 54% | 24 to 1 |
| 52 | California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA | $19,614 | $18,672 | - | 96.0% | 15,109 | 56% | 23 to 1 |
| 53 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | $18,975 | $18,033 | - | 93.0% | 37,579 | 55% | 24 to 1 |
| 54 | California State University-Stanislaus Turlock, CA | $19,706 | $18,764 | - | 97.0% | 10,154 | 55% | 18 to 1 |
| 55 | Dominican University of California San Rafael, CA | $50,666 | $20,553 | 1,195 | 96.0% | 1,877 | 78% | 9 to 1 |
| 56 | University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | $58,222 | $29,140 | 1,300 | 51.0% | 9,688 | 74% | 13 to 1 |
| 57 | California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA | $18,944 | $18,002 | - | 91.0% | 16,426 | 46% | 22 to 1 |
| 58 | University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA | $44,947 | $29,468 | - | 63.0% | 26,809 | 76% | 24 to 1 |
| 59 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | $19,304 | $18,362 | - | 96.0% | 25,282 | 54% | 19 to 1 |
| 60 | California State University-Chico Chico, CA | $19,944 | $19,002 | - | 94.0% | 14,183 | 64% | 20 to 1 |
| 61 | Woodbury University Burbank, CA | $44,886 | $43,242 | - | 73.0% | 943 | 54% | 8 to 1 |
| 62 | California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, CA | $50,670 | $22,498 | 1,220 | 89.0% | 3,615 | 73% | 14 to 1 |
| 63 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA | $20,070 | $19,128 | - | 95.0% | 6,637 | 59% | 18 to 1 |
| 64 | Holy Names University Oakland, CA | $42,115 | $18,590 | - | - | 959 | 53% | 9 to 1 |
| 65 | California State University-Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA | $19,576 | $18,634 | - | 88.0% | 9,613 | 49% | 19 to 1 |
| 66 | California State University-Monterey Bay Seaside, CA | $19,317 | $18,375 | - | 95.0% | 7,045 | 61% | 20 to 1 |
| 67 | National University San Diego, CA | $13,320 | $15,912 | - | - | 18,631 | 22% | 16 to 1 |
| 68 | Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles, CA | $48,132 | $13,894 | - | 69.0% | 2,440 | 59% | 11 to 1 |
| 69 | California State University-East Bay Hayward, CA | $18,935 | $17,993 | - | 97.0% | 13,673 | 45% | 22 to 1 |
| 70 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Arcata, CA | $19,793 | $18,851 | - | 99.0% | 6,025 | 45% | 15 to 1 |
| 71 | California State University-Channel Islands Camarillo, CA | $18,697 | $17,755 | - | 93.0% | 6,128 | 56% | 17 to 1 |
| 72 | Providence Christian College Pasadena, CA | $35,172 | - | - | 93.5% | 136 | 35% | 12 to 1 |
| 73 | American Jewish University Los Angeles, CA | $10,596 | $28,162 | - | - | 108 | 50% | 3 to 1 |
| 74 | Pacific Union College Angwin, CA | $35,214 | $35,214 | 1,080 | 42.0% | 870 | 46% | 13 to 1 |
| 75 | California Baptist University Riverside, CA | $39,720 | $14,914 | - | 74.0% | 11,495 | 63% | 18 to 1 |
| 76 | University of California-Merced Merced, CA | $44,944 | $29,289 | - | 39.0% | 9,103 | 67% | 19 to 1 |
| 77 | Northcentral University San Diego, CA | $12,594 | $17,998 | - | - | 11,578 | - | 1 to 1 |
| 78 | University of Massachusetts Global Irvine, CA | $12,520 | $13,282 | - | - | 8,689 | 50% | 18 to 1 |
| 79 | University of Phoenix-California Ontario, CA | $9,552 | $16,263 | - | - | 635 | 24% | 7 to 1 |
| 80 | Antioch University-Los Angeles Culver City, CA | $16,350 | $22,116 | - | - | 867 | - | 2 to 1 |
| 81 | Simpson University Redding, CA | $38,522 | $20,090 | - | 99.0% | 874 | 46% | 13 to 1 |
| 82 | Antioch University-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | $19,560 | $32,350 | - | - | 279 | - | 6 to 1 |
| 83 | Ashford University San Diego, CA | $13,160 | $13,515 | - | - | 34,190 | 9% | 19 to 1 |
| 84 | Golden Gate University San Francisco, CA | $11,343 | $17,070 | - | - | 2,661 | - | 13 to 1 |
| 85 | California Institute of Integral Studies San Francisco, CA | $22,334 | $23,610 | - | - | 2,145 | - | 13 to 1 |
| 86 | Claremont Graduate University Claremont, CA | - | $37,150 | - | - | 1,903 | - | - |
| 87 | Touro University Worldwide Los Alamitos, CA | $14,640 | $9,000 | - | - | 2,249 | 55% | 8 to 1 |
| 88 | Keck Graduate Institute Claremont, CA | - | $41,981 | - | - | 668 | - | - |
| 89 | Notre Dame de Namur University Belmont, CA | $15,792 | $15,300 | - | - | 201 | 47% | - |
| 90 | Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA | - | - | - | - | 2,670 | - | - |
| 92 | Fielding Graduate University Santa Barbara, CA | - | $22,260 | - | - | 1,000 | - | - |
| 93 | Alliant International University-San Diego San Diego, CA | $17,949 | $19,129 | - | - | 3,599 | - | 4 to 1 |
| Average | $36,404 | $25,369 | 1,334 | 62.7% | 11,752 | 66% | 14 to 1 |
California Colleges by Ranking and School Type