Best California Liberal Arts Colleges
Pomona College ranked first and Claremont McKenna College ranked second in 2025 Liberal Arts Colleges rankings in California. (Read our ranking methodology and know how to rank.)
The following list summarizes the core statistics for top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges in California. You can check the schools in the comparison table below.
- The average undergraduate tuition & fees of the top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges in California is $64,716.
- The average graduate tuition & fees of the top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges in California is $62,389.
- The average SAT score is 1,480 and the average acceptance rate is 30.57%.
- The average number of students is 1,373 and the students to faculty ratio is 9 to 1.
- The average graduation rate is 84.71% and the transfer-out rate is 6.75%.
Best California Liberal Arts Colleges Comparison Table
The following table shows Best California Liberal Arts Colleges. You can sort the table by column by clicking/touching column titles and narrow down the college list by using buttons below.
| Rank | College Name | Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | Graduate Tuition & Fees | SAT Score | Acceptance Rate | Population | Graduation Rate | Student to Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pomona College Claremont, CA | $65,420 | - | 1,540 | 7% | 1,700 | 93% | 7 to 1 |
| 2 | Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | $67,980 | $72,294 | 1,530 | 10% | 1,393 | 91% | 8 to 1 |
| 3 | Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA | $68,613 | - | 1,540 | 13% | 951 | 92% | 8 to 1 |
| 4 | Pitzer College Claremont, CA | $65,192 | - | - | 25% | 1,242 | 83% | 10 to 1 |
| 5 | Scripps College Claremont, CA | $65,950 | $48,598 | 1,500 | 38% | 1,137 | 83% | 10 to 1 |
| 6 | Westmont College Santa Barbara, CA | $53,584 | - | 1,330 | 77% | 1,310 | 70% | 10 to 1 |
| 7 | Occidental College Los Angeles, CA | $66,274 | $66,274 | 1,440 | 44% | 1,881 | 81% | 9 to 1 |
| 8 | Thomas Aquinas College Santa Paula, CA | $30,200 | - | 1,310 | 83% | 566 | 84% | 11 to 1 |
| 9 | Soka University of America Aliso Viejo, CA | $38,728 | $38,728 | 1,440 | 43% | 495 | 92% | 7 to 1 |
| 10 | Simpson University Redding, CA | $39,708 | $20,090 | - | 86% | 992 | 49% | 17 to 1 |
| Average | $64,716 | $62,389 | 1,480 | 31% | 1,373 | 85% | 9 to 1 |
California Colleges by Ranking and School Type