alphabetical / by state
256 Traditional Schools in California
Hands down, no state has a higher proportion of elite colleges and universities than California. In a much shorter period of time, California has built up its own Ivy League, a class that includes globally-influential public universities like UCLA and UC Berkeley, prestigious private research institutions like Stanford and Caltech, and world-class liberal arts colleges and universities like the Claremont Colleges. Unlike the traditional New England Ivy League, however, California’s Ivy League features year-round sunshine and virtually no winter - a serious selling point for students around the world.
California is a large state - the third largest in land mass - and it contains multitudes, both in terms of geography and in its people. The highest population of any state lives in California, in a landscape ranging from deserts to snowy mountains, wet forests, and southern California’s famous mild, sunny weather. California may well be the most diverse state as well, from its earliest Native American inhabitants, the Hispanic heritage of the Spanish settlers, Asian and Pacific Islanders from across the Pacific Ocean, and European-American and African-American pioneers brought by the promise of gold, fertile land, and the chance to make their way in freedom.
California delivered. From the avocados, oranges, and wine of the state’s fertile valleys, to the technologically fertile Silicon Valley, birthplace of the modern world, California has shaped the American lifestyle for generations. America’s dreams and entertainment have centered around California in the same way, including not only Hollywood movies, but the music industry, television, and the earliest days of the internet. Preparing students for their places in this multi-faceted, complex environment - government and business, entertainment and agriculture, education and entrepreneurship - is the role of California’s best colleges and universities.

Abraham Lincoln University
Glendale, CA

Academy for Jewish Religion-California
Los Angeles, CA

Academy of Art University
San Francisco, CA

Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences
Oakland, CA

Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA

Alhambra Medical University
Alhambra, CA

Alliant International University-San Diego
San Diego, CA

America Evangelical University
Los Angeles, CA

American Baptist Seminary of the West
Berkeley, CA

American Conservatory Theater
San Francisco, CA

American Film Institute Conservatory
Los Angeles, CA

American Jewish University
Los Angeles, CA

American University of Health Sciences
Signal Hill, CA

Angeles College
Los Angeles, CA

Antelope Valley College
Lancaster, CA

University of Antelope Valley
Lancaster, CA

Antioch University-Los Angeles
Culver City, CA

Antioch University-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA

Art Center College of Design
Pasadena, CA

Ashford University
San Diego, CA

Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, CA
50
College Consensus
74.2
Student Consensus

Bakersfield College
Bakersfield, CA

Bergin University of Canine Studies
Penngrove, CA

Bethel Seminary-San Diego
San Diego, CA

Bethesda University
Anaheim, CA

Beverly Hills Design Institute
Beverly Hills, CA

Biola University
La Mirada, CA

Brandman University
Irvine, CA

California Aeronautical University
Bakersfield, CA

California Baptist University
Riverside, CA

California Christian College
Fresno, CA

California College of the Arts
San Francisco, CA

California Institute of Advanced Management
Alhambra, CA

California Institute of Integral Studies
San Francisco, CA

California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA
83.9
College Consensus
74
Student Consensus

California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, CA

California Intercontinental University
Irvine, CA

California Jazz Conservatory
Berkeley, CA

California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, CA
58.2
College Consensus
74.4
Student Consensus

California Miramar University
San Diego, CA

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA
76.3
College Consensus
76.8
Student Consensus

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA
69
College Consensus
72.6
Student Consensus

California State University Maritime Academy
Vallejo, CA
73.7
College Consensus
60.7
Student Consensus

California State University-Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA

California State University-Channel Islands
Camarillo, CA
77.9
College Consensus
74.5
Student Consensus

California State University-Chico
Chico, CA
72.2
College Consensus
75.2
Student Consensus

California State University-Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA
74.3
College Consensus
70.9
Student Consensus

California State University-East Bay
Hayward, CA
55.3
College Consensus
61.8
Student Consensus

California State University-Fresno
Fresno, CA
61.9
College Consensus
69.8
Student Consensus

California State University-Fullerton
Fullerton, CA
68.2
College Consensus
69.7
Student Consensus

California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA
74.6
College Consensus
73.9
Student Consensus

California State University-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
75.2
College Consensus
65.2
Student Consensus

California State University-Monterey Bay
Seaside, CA
75.1
College Consensus
64.9
Student Consensus

California State University-Northridge
Northridge, CA
73
College Consensus
66.1
Student Consensus

California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento, CA
63.5
College Consensus
66.6
Student Consensus

California State University-San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA
72.1
College Consensus
70.1
Student Consensus

California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CA
59.5
College Consensus
69.5
Student Consensus

California State University-Stanislaus
Turlock, CA
82
College Consensus
75.7
Student Consensus

California Western School of Law
San Diego, CA

University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
85.4
College Consensus
76.9
Student Consensus

University of California-Davis
Davis, CA
81.3
College Consensus
75.9
Student Consensus

University of California-Hastings College of Law
San Francisco, CA

University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA
80.9
College Consensus
75.4
Student Consensus

University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
85.9
College Consensus
77.7
Student Consensus

University of California-Merced
Merced, CA
66.5
College Consensus
75.6
Student Consensus

University of California-Riverside
Riverside, CA
67.2
College Consensus
69.8
Student Consensus

University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA
78.8
College Consensus
68.3
Student Consensus

University of California-San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA
82.2
College Consensus
80.7
Student Consensus

University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA
64.7
College Consensus
73.2
Student Consensus

Career Networks Institute
Orange, CA

Chamberlain University-California
Rancho Cordova, CA

Chapman University
Orange, CA
61.5
College Consensus
73.1
Student Consensus

Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
Los Angeles, CA

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Irvine
Irvine, CA

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at San Diego
San Diego, CA

Church Divinity School of the Pacific
Berkeley, CA

Claremont Graduate University
Claremont, CA

Claremont Lincoln University
Claremont, CA

Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA
86
College Consensus
83.6
Student Consensus

Claremont School of Theology
Claremont, CA

Cogswell College
San Jose, CA

Columbia College Hollywood
Tarzana, CA

Concordia University-Irvine
Irvine, CA

Cypress College
Cypress, CA

DeVry University-California
Pomona, CA

Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre
Blue Lake, CA

Design Institute of San Diego
San Diego, CA

Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology
Berkeley, CA

Dominican University of California
San Rafael, CA
52.2
College Consensus
63.9
Student Consensus

Dongguk University-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA

University of East-West Medicine
Sunnyvale, CA

Emperor's College of Traditional Oriental Medicine
Santa Monica, CA

Empire College
Santa Rosa, CA

Epic Bible College
Sacramento, CA

FIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA

FIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

Feather River Community College District
Quincy, CA

Fielding Graduate University
Santa Barbara, CA

Five Branches University
Santa Cruz, CA

Foothill College
Los Altos Hills, CA

Franciscan School of Theology
Oceanside, CA

Fremont College
Cerritos, CA

Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA
68.1
College Consensus
79
Student Consensus

Fuller Theological Seminary
Pasadena, CA

Gnomon
Hollywood, CA

Golden Gate University-San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

Grace Mission University
Fullerton, CA

Graduate Theological Union
Berkeley, CA

Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts
San Mateo, CA

Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA
84.2
College Consensus
81.6
Student Consensus

High Tech High Graduate School of Education
San Diego, CA

Holy Names University
Oakland, CA

Homestead Schools
Torrance, CA

Hope International University
Fullerton, CA

Humboldt State University
Arcata, CA

Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses
Stockton, CA

Hussian College-Relativity Campus California
Los Angeles, CA

Interior Designers Institute
Newport Beach, CA

John F. Kennedy University
Pleasant Hill, CA

John Paul the Great Catholic University
Escondido, CA

Keck Graduate Institute
Claremont, CA

La Sierra University
Riverside, CA

University of La Verne
La Verne, CA
55.9
College Consensus
75.4
Student Consensus

Laguna College of Art and Design
Laguna Beach, CA

Laurus College
San Luis Obispo, CA

Life Chiropractic College West
Hayward, CA

Life Pacific College
San Dimas, CA

Lincoln University (CA)
Oakland, CA

Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, CA

Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art
Van Nuys, CA

Los Angeles College of Music
Pasadena, CA

Los Angeles Film School
Hollywood, CA

Los Angeles Pacific University
San Dimas, CA

Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA
61.7
College Consensus
72.2
Student Consensus

Marshall B Ketchum University
Fullerton, CA

Marymount California University
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

The Master's University and Seminary
Santa Clarita, CA
57.3
College Consensus
76.7
Student Consensus

Menlo College
Atherton, CA

Meridian University
Petaluma, CA

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
Monterey, CA

Mills College
Oakland, CA

MiraCosta College
Oceanside, CA

Modesto Junior College
Modesto, CA

Mount Saint Mary's University (CA)
Los Angeles, CA
69.7
College Consensus
69.8
Student Consensus

Mt Sierra College
Monrovia, CA

Musicians Institute
Hollywood, CA

National University
La Jolla, CA

New York Film Academy
Burbank, CA

Newschool of Architecture and Design
San Diego, CA

Northcentral University
San Diego, CA

Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA

Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA
68.6
College Consensus
75.5
Student Consensus

Oikos University
Oakland, CA

Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles, CA

PCI College
Cerritos, CA

Pacific College of Oriental Medicine-San Diego
San Diego, CA

Pacific College
Costa Mesa, CA

Pacific Oaks College
Pasadena, CA

Pacific School of Religion
Berkeley, CA

Pacific States University
Los Angeles, CA

Pacific Union College
Angwin, CA

University of the Pacific
Stockton, CA
58.9
College Consensus
72.5
Student Consensus

Pacifica Graduate Institute
Carpinteria, CA

Palo Alto University
Palo Alto, CA

Pardee RAND Graduate School
Santa Monica, CA

Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA
62.7
College Consensus
73.9
Student Consensus

University of Phoenix-California
Ontario, CA

Pitzer College
Claremont, CA
78.6
College Consensus
79.4
Student Consensus

Platt College-Anaheim
Anaheim, CA

Platt College-Los Angeles
Alhambra, CA

Platt College-Ontario
Ontario, CA

Platt College-Riverside
Riverside, CA

Platt College-San Diego
San Diego, CA

Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, CA
64.8
College Consensus
72
Student Consensus

Pomona College
Claremont, CA
88.5
College Consensus
84.3
Student Consensus

Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America
Santa Fe Springs, CA

Presidio Graduate School
San Francisco, CA

Providence Christian College
Pasadena, CA

University of Redlands
Redlands, CA
62.4
College Consensus
74.9
Student Consensus

Rio Hondo College
Whittier, CA

SAE Expression College
Emeryville, CA

SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary
El Dorado Hills, CA

University of Saint Katherine
San Marcos, CA

Saint Mary's College of California
Moraga, CA
57.4
College Consensus
72
Student Consensus

Samuel Merritt University
Oakland, CA

San Diego Christian College
Santee, CA

San Diego Mesa College
San Diego, CA

San Diego State University
San Diego, CA
60.1
College Consensus
71.7
Student Consensus

University of San Diego
San Diego, CA
63.8
College Consensus
76.6
Student Consensus

San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco, CA

San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, CA

San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA
68.7
College Consensus
66.5
Student Consensus

San Francisco Theological Seminary
San Anselmo, CA

University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
55.2
College Consensus
71.9
Student Consensus

San Joaquin College of Law
Clovis, CA

San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia
Visalia, CA

San Jose State University
San Jose, CA
58.8
College Consensus
68
Student Consensus

Santa Ana College
Santa Ana, CA

Santa Barbara Business College-Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA

Santa Barbara Business College-Santa Maria
Santa Maria, CA

The Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law at Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA

The Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law at Ventura
Ventura, CA

Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA
70
College Consensus
71.7
Student Consensus

Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, CA

Saybrook University
Oakland, CA

Scripps College
Claremont, CA
80.3
College Consensus
83.8
Student Consensus

Shasta Bible College and Graduate School
Redding, CA

Shasta College
Redding, CA

Simpson University
Redding, CA

Skyline College
San Bruno, CA

Sofia University
Palo Alto, CA

Soka University of America
Aliso Viejo, CA

Solano Community College
Fairfield, CA

Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA
58.8
College Consensus
70.3
Student Consensus

South Baylo University
Anaheim, CA

Southern California Institute of Architecture
Los Angeles, CA

Southern California Institute of Technology
Anaheim, CA

Southern California Seminary
El Cajon, CA

Southern California University of Health Sciences
Whittier, CA

University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
81.2
College Consensus
78.8
Student Consensus

Southern States University
San Diego, CA

Southwestern Law School
Los Angeles, CA

University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
San Marcos, CA

Stanbridge University
Irvine, CA

Stanford University
Stanford, CA
91.1
College Consensus
83.3
Student Consensus

Starr King School for the Ministry
Berkeley, CA

Thomas Aquinas College
Santa Paula, CA

Thomas Jefferson School of Law
San Diego, CA

Touro University California
Vallejo, CA

Touro University Worldwide
Los Alamitos, CA

Trident University International
Cypress, CA

Trinity Law School
Santa Ana, CA

Trinity School of Health and Allied Sciences
Torrance, CA

United States University
San Diego, CA

Unitek College (Fremont)
Fremont, CA

Vanguard University of Southern California
Costa Mesa, CA

West Coast Ultrasound Institute
Beverly Hills, CA

West Coast University-Center for Graduate Studies
Los Angeles, CA

West Coast University-Los Angeles
North Hollywood, CA

West Coast University-Ontario
Ontario, CA

West Coast University-Orange County
Anaheim, CA

West Los Angeles College
Culver City, CA

University of the West
Rosemead, CA

Westcliff University
Irvine, CA

Western University of Health Sciences
Pomona, CA

Westminster Theological Seminary in California
Escondido, CA

Westmont College
Santa Barbara, CA
59.3
College Consensus
73.9
Student Consensus

Whittier College
Whittier, CA
58.6
College Consensus
67.2
Student Consensus

William Jessup University
Rocklin, CA

Woodbury University
Burbank, CA

World Mission University
Los Angeles, CA

The Wright Institute
Berkeley, CA

Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical Seminary
Los Angeles, CA
