California Best College Rankings
Stanford University ranked first and California Institute of Technology ranked second in California college rankings. The 2025 average tuition & fees of the California best colleges is $26,501 for California residents and $36,738 for out-of-state students. The average acceptance rate is 65.97% and the average SAT score is 1,340. The average number of student population is 10,935 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 $36,738 and University of Southern California has the highest tuition & fees of $71,647 and University of the People has the lowest tuition & fees of $1,200.
- The average graduate tuition & fees is $26,769 and Claremont McKenna College has the highest tuition & fees of $72,294 and San Diego Christian College has the lowest tuition & fees of $8,736.
- The average SAT score is 1,340 and Stanford University has the highest SAT score of 1,550 and Hope International University has the lowest score of 1,020.
- The average acceptance rate is 65.97% and California Institute of Technology has the tightest (lowest) rate of 3% and Newschool of Architecture and Design has the loosest (lowest) rate of 100%.
- The average student population is 10,935 and University of California-Los Angeles has the most students of 47,335 and University of Phoenix-California has the fewest students of 34.
- The average graduation rate is 63.08% and California Institute of Technology has the highest rate of 94% and Notre Dame de Namur University has the lowest rate of 7%.
California Best Colleges Comparison
The below table compares the 101 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 | $65,910 | $61,878 | 1,550 | 3.6% | 18,625 | 92% | 6 to 1 |
| 2 | California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | $65,898 | $65,706 | - | 2.6% | 2,430 | 94% | 3 to 1 |
| 3 | Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey Monterey, CA | $48,654 | $48,654 | - | - | 526 | - | 1 to 1 |
| 4 | Pomona College Claremont, CA | $65,420 | - | 1,540 | 7.1% | 1,700 | 93% | 7 to 1 |
| 5 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | $71,647 | $71,515 | 1,500 | 9.8% | 46,566 | 92% | 9 to 1 |
| 6 | Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | $67,980 | $72,294 | 1,530 | 9.6% | 1,393 | 91% | 8 to 1 |
| 7 | Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA | $68,613 | - | 1,540 | 12.7% | 951 | 92% | 8 to 1 |
| 8 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | $47,265 | $30,968 | - | 11.0% | 45,882 | 93% | 18 to 1 |
| 9 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | $46,121 | $29,578 | - | 9.0% | 47,335 | 93% | 20 to 1 |
| 10 | Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA | $61,293 | $31,694 | 1,420 | 48.0% | 9,728 | 88% | 11 to 1 |
| 11 | Pacific Oaks College Pasadena, CA | $32,520 | $22,260 | - | 34.4% | 1,068 | - | 11 to 1 |
| 12 | Pepperdine University Malibu, CA | $69,918 | $44,056 | 1,370 | 62.9% | 8,976 | 83% | 12 to 1 |
| 13 | University of the Pacific Stockton, CA | $57,080 | $55,452 | 1,345 | 71.3% | 6,944 | 69% | 13 to 1 |
| 14 | Northcentral University San Diego, CA | $12,594 | $17,998 | - | - | 9,489 | - | 1 to 1 |
| 15 | Loma Linda University Loma Linda, CA | $29,960 | $34,460 | - | - | 4,210 | - | 3 to 1 |
| 16 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | $47,676 | $30,199 | - | 26.7% | 44,256 | 86% | 19 to 1 |
| 17 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | $47,332 | $30,226 | - | 33.0% | 26,133 | 83% | 17 to 1 |
| 18 | Loyola Marymount University Los Angeles, CA | $61,867 | $23,172 | 1,350 | 45.1% | 10,179 | 79% | 10 to 1 |
| 19 | Scripps College Claremont, CA | $65,950 | $48,598 | 1,500 | 38.3% | 1,137 | 83% | 10 to 1 |
| 20 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo, CA | $33,230 | $23,765 | - | 31.3% | 23,069 | 86% | 19 to 1 |
| 21 | Pitzer College Claremont, CA | $65,192 | - | - | 25.2% | 1,242 | 83% | 10 to 1 |
| 22 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | $47,692 | $30,243 | - | 41.8% | 40,065 | 86% | 22 to 1 |
| 23 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | $46,640 | $29,929 | - | 28.6% | 37,297 | 87% | 19 to 1 |
| 24 | University of San Diego San Diego, CA | $59,486 | $31,240 | - | 52.4% | 9,714 | 84% | 13 to 1 |
| 25 | Chapman University Orange, CA | $64,984 | $39,868 | 1,350 | 65.4% | 9,760 | 82% | 12 to 1 |
| 26 | Westmont College Santa Barbara, CA | $53,584 | - | 1,330 | 77.1% | 1,310 | 70% | 10 to 1 |
| 27 | University of Redlands Redlands, CA | $60,878 | $25,172 | 1,240 | 82.7% | 3,087 | 67% | 10 to 1 |
| 28 | Biola University La Mirada, CA | $48,984 | $12,672 | 1,265 | 74.4% | 5,434 | 68% | 15 to 1 |
| 29 | Occidental College Los Angeles, CA | $66,274 | $66,274 | 1,440 | 44.2% | 1,881 | 81% | 9 to 1 |
| 30 | University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | $60,522 | $29,960 | 1,290 | 61.7% | 8,913 | 70% | 11 to 1 |
| 31 | Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA | $44,458 | $17,015 | 1,105 | 88.4% | 6,272 | 62% | 9 to 1 |
| 32 | San Diego State University San Diego, CA | $21,328 | $20,332 | - | 36.2% | 41,137 | 76% | 27 to 1 |
| 33 | DeVry University-California Ontario, CA | $17,008 | $9,832 | - | 98.5% | 2,403 | 22% | 26 to 1 |
| 34 | University of La Verne La Verne, CA | $49,470 | $15,318 | 1,095 | 71.2% | 5,021 | 63% | 10 to 1 |
| 35 | Art Center College of Design Pasadena, CA | $54,170 | $57,188 | - | 74.5% | 2,308 | 79% | 9 to 1 |
| 36 | Newschool of Architecture and Design San Diego, CA | $30,291 | $32,295 | - | 100.0% | 273 | 62% | 8 to 1 |
| 37 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA | $21,010 | $20,014 | - | 84.6% | 37,661 | 69% | 25 to 1 |
| 38 | Golden Gate University San Francisco, CA | $11,343 | $17,070 | - | - | 3,098 | - | 7 to 1 |
| 39 | University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | $46,923 | $30,512 | - | 65.8% | 19,938 | 75% | 22 to 1 |
| 40 | The Master's University and Seminary Santa Clarita, CA | $39,020 | $10,410 | - | 84.0% | 2,860 | 68% | 13 to 1 |
| 41 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, CA | $20,381 | $19,385 | - | 75.2% | 27,636 | 68% | 25 to 1 |
| 42 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA | $19,974 | $18,978 | - | 46.3% | 42,003 | 69% | 23 to 1 |
| 43 | Dominican University of California San Rafael, CA | $52,161 | $21,071 | 1,290 | 83.5% | 1,900 | 78% | 8 to 1 |
| 44 | California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA | $20,070 | $19,074 | - | 90.5% | 43,662 | 70% | 26 to 1 |
| 45 | Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles, CA | $49,564 | $14,520 | - | 73.1% | 2,312 | 53% | 8 to 1 |
| 46 | University of California-Riverside Riverside, CA | $46,524 | $30,014 | - | 76.4% | 26,384 | 76% | 22 to 1 |
| 47 | Vanguard University of Southern California Costa Mesa, CA | $41,700 | $16,853 | - | 62.4% | 2,246 | 57% | 13 to 1 |
| 48 | California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA | $20,618 | $19,622 | - | 94.0% | 31,943 | 56% | 24 to 1 |
| 49 | Claremont Graduate University Claremont, CA | $36,390 | $37,180 | - | - | 1,771 | - | - |
| 50 | California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA | $20,688 | $19,692 | - | 93.7% | 18,492 | 55% | 22 to 1 |
| 51 | Woodbury University Burbank, CA | $47,056 | $46,148 | - | 81.7% | 849 | 60% | 13 to 1 |
| 52 | California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA | $20,682 | $19,686 | - | 95.1% | 16,237 | 55% | 24 to 1 |
| 53 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | $20,446 | $19,450 | - | 96.4% | 22,563 | 50% | 19 to 1 |
| 54 | Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, CA | $46,250 | $11,880 | 1,260 | 83.7% | 4,757 | 77% | 13 to 1 |
| 55 | California State University-Fresno Fresno, CA | $19,941 | $18,945 | - | 95.3% | 24,427 | 57% | 22 to 1 |
| 56 | California Institute of the Arts Valencia, CA | $58,996 | $58,996 | - | 32.3% | 1,277 | 67% | 7 to 1 |
| 57 | California State University-Stanislaus Turlock, CA | $20,842 | $19,846 | - | 98.1% | 9,724 | 53% | 18 to 1 |
| 58 | California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | $19,764 | $18,768 | - | 91.3% | 23,163 | 53% | 21 to 1 |
| 59 | Concordia University-Irvine Irvine, CA | $43,480 | $8,895 | - | 66.0% | 3,658 | 58% | 13 to 1 |
| 60 | California State University-East Bay Hayward, CA | $20,183 | $19,187 | - | 97.4% | 12,326 | 48% | 22 to 1 |
| 61 | California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA | $20,054 | $19,058 | - | 93.3% | 15,182 | 43% | 21 to 1 |
| 62 | Antioch University-Los Angeles Culver City, CA | $26,460 | $42,828 | - | - | 910 | - | 3 to 1 |
| 63 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA | $21,224 | $20,228 | - | 93.4% | 5,891 | 58% | 17 to 1 |
| 64 | California State University-Chico Chico, CA | $21,072 | $20,076 | - | 92.7% | 15,257 | 63% | 23 to 1 |
| 65 | Thomas Aquinas College Santa Paula, CA | $30,200 | - | 1,310 | 83.1% | 566 | 84% | 11 to 1 |
| 66 | California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, CA | $52,560 | $22,046 | 1,270 | 75.7% | 3,351 | 70% | 13 to 1 |
| 67 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | $20,058 | $19,062 | - | 93.5% | 38,313 | 57% | 25 to 1 |
| 68 | California State University-Bakersfield Bakersfield, CA | $20,687 | $19,691 | - | 93.9% | 10,419 | 50% | 20 to 1 |
| 69 | Soka University of America Aliso Viejo, CA | $38,728 | $38,728 | 1,440 | 43.4% | 495 | 92% | 7 to 1 |
| 70 | Saint Mary's College of California Moraga, CA | $57,803 | $38,500 | - | 86.5% | 2,734 | 70% | 10 to 1 |
| 71 | University of Phoenix-California Ontario, CA | $9,552 | $16,485 | - | - | 34 | 22% | 24 to 1 |
| 72 | California State University-Channel Islands Camarillo, CA | $19,759 | $18,763 | - | 94.8% | 5,592 | 51% | 16 to 1 |
| 73 | California State University-Monterey Bay Seaside, CA | $20,379 | $19,383 | - | 97.4% | 7,713 | 59% | 24 to 1 |
| 74 | Academy of Art University San Francisco, CA | $30,736 | $34,768 | - | - | 5,498 | 34% | 14 to 1 |
| 75 | Simpson University Redding, CA | $39,708 | $20,090 | - | 86.0% | 992 | 49% | 17 to 1 |
| 76 | Antioch University-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | $26,080 | $36,880 | - | - | 263 | - | 5 to 1 |
| 77 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Arcata, CA | $20,997 | $20,001 | - | 98.2% | 6,237 | 49% | 16 to 1 |
| 78 | La Sierra University Riverside, CA | $37,710 | $18,450 | - | 91.5% | 1,574 | 60% | 12 to 1 |
| 79 | William Jessup University Rocklin, CA | $37,150 | $13,240 | 1,150 | 93.3% | 1,865 | 56% | 10 to 1 |
| 80 | National University San Diego, CA | $13,284 | $16,416 | - | - | 22,115 | 43% | 16 to 1 |
| 81 | Whittier College Whittier, CA | $51,350 | $14,742 | - | 80.8% | 795 | 60% | 8 to 1 |
| 82 | California Baptist University Riverside, CA | $41,228 | $15,562 | - | 84.9% | 11,902 | 62% | 21 to 1 |
| 83 | Fresno Pacific University Fresno, CA | $36,660 | $13,780 | - | 64.1% | 2,879 | 50% | 10 to 1 |
| 84 | Hope International University Fullerton, CA | $38,125 | $18,504 | 1,020 | 33.0% | 1,025 | 49% | 13 to 1 |
| 85 | Humphreys University Stockton, CA | $13,500 | $11,286 | - | - | 699 | 62% | 5 to 1 |
| 86 | Providence Christian College Pasadena, CA | $36,963 | - | - | 100.0% | 168 | 20% | 17 to 1 |
| 87 | Los Angeles Pacific University San Dimas, CA | $12,360 | $12,240 | - | - | 1,881 | 21% | 24 to 1 |
| 88 | Alliant International University-San Diego San Diego, CA | $14,254 | $19,690 | - | - | 4,530 | 22% | 9 to 1 |
| 89 | University of the West Rosemead, CA | $15,446 | $14,298 | - | 100.0% | 138 | 38% | 4 to 1 |
| 90 | Notre Dame de Namur University Belmont, CA | $15,792 | $15,300 | - | - | 306 | 7% | 6 to 1 |
| 91 | University of Massachusetts Global Aliso Viejo, CA | $12,540 | $13,680 | - | - | 8,996 | 43% | 24 to 1 |
| 92 | California Institute of Integral Studies San Francisco, CA | $23,124 | $24,464 | - | - | 1,874 | - | 15 to 1 |
| 93 | University of California-Merced Merced, CA | $46,541 | $29,855 | - | 90.5% | 9,110 | 69% | 20 to 1 |
| 95 | Keck Graduate Institute Claremont, CA | $44,745 | $44,745 | - | - | 622 | - | - |
| 96 | San Diego Christian College Santee, CA | $28,012 | $8,736 | - | 30.8% | 96 | 20% | 9 to 1 |
| 97 | Fielding Graduate University Santa Barbara, CA | $24,649 | $24,689 | - | - | 915 | - | - |
| 98 | Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology Berkeley, CA | $22,080 | $22,260 | - | - | 55 | - | - |
| 99 | University of the People Pasadena, CA | $1,200 | - | - | - | 41,961 | 34% | 28 to 1 |
| 100 | Touro University Worldwide Los Alamitos, CA | $14,640 | $9,000 | - | - | 2,358 | 29% | 10 to 1 |
| 101 | Saybrook University Pasadena, CA | $20,388 | $23,888 | - | - | 1,057 | - | - |
| 102 | American Jewish University Los Angeles, CA | $10,870 | $28,870 | - | - | 424 | 44% | 10 to 1 |
| Average | $36,738 | $26,769 | 1,340 | 66.0% | 10,935 | 63% | 14 to 1 |
California Colleges by Ranking and School Type