This page compares the best colleges in California with tuition, admission, and more academic facts (Ranking data from College Evaluator). For the academic year 2021-2022, Stanford University rank first in the best California college ranking and California Institute of Technology is placed in second.
Admission Comparison Between Best Colleges in California
2 public and 8 private schools rank in the best California colleges. The schools' average acceptance rate is 18.60% where Stanford University has the tightest (lowest) acceptance rate of 5% and Soka University of America has the highest rate of 52%. Total 156,350 students are attending one of the best California schools where University of Southern California has the largest population with 46,287 students and Soka University of America has the smallest number of students (403 students). The average graduation rate is 91.60% and the average students to faculty ratio is 9.60:1 at those colleges.
| Rank | Name | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Graduation Rate | Population | Student-Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | 5% | 1,495 | 95% | 15,953 | 5:1 (20.00 %) |
| 2 | California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | 7% | 1,555 | 92% | 2,240 | 3:1 (33.33 %) |
| 3 | Pomona College Claremont, CA | 9% | 1,465 | 94% | 1,475 | 7:1 (14.29 %) |
| 4 | Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | 13% | 1,415 | 92% | 1,264 | 8:1 (12.50 %) |
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 14% | 1,415 | 91% | 44,589 | 18:1 (5.56 %) |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 17% | 1,420 | 92% | 42,327 | 20:1 (5.00 %) |
| 7 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | 16% | 1,435 | 92% | 46,287 | 9:1 (11.11 %) |
| 8 | Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA | 18% | 1,530 | 93% | 854 | 8:1 (12.50 %) |
| 9 | Soka University of America Aliso Viejo, CA | 52% | 1,295 | 87% | 403 | 8:1 (12.50 %) |
| 10 | Scripps College Claremont, CA | 35% | 1,400 | 88% | 958 | 10:1 (10.00 %) |
| Average | 18.60% | 1,443 | 91.60% | 156,350 (Total) | 9.60:1 (10.42 %) |
Best California Colleges 2022 Tuition Comparison and 2023 Estimated Costs
The following table lists 2021-2022 tuition & fees and compares them between the best California colleges. The 2021-2022 costs are officially published by IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education. The estimated costs for the academic year 2022-2023 are calculated and estimated based on each school's rate of tuition change from 2021 to 2022.
For the undergraduate programs, the average tuition & fees of the best California colleges is $53,145 where University of Southern California has the most expensive costs at $61,503 and Soka University of America has the lowest amount of tuition at $34,166. The average graduate tuition & fees of the best California colleges is $47,185 where Claremont McKenna College has the highest tuition with $64,288 and University of California-Los Angeles has the lowest amount of graduate school tuition with $28,138.
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Stanford University | $56,169 | $56,169 | ||
| 2 | California Institute of Technology | $58,680 | $60,556 | ||
| 3 | Pomona College | $56,686 | $58,665 | ||
| 4 | Claremont McKenna College | $58,111 | $59,794 | ||
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles | $13,258 | $43,012 | $13,267 | $43,021 |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley | $14,226 | $43,980 | $14,141 | $43,894 |
| 7 | University of Southern California | $61,503 | $62,756 | ||
| 8 | Harvey Mudd College | $60,703 | $62,817 | ||
| 9 | Soka University of America | $34,166 | $34,371 | ||
| 10 | Scripps College | $58,442 | $59,723 | ||
| Average | $13,742 | $53,145 | $13,704 | $54,177 | |
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Stanford University | $55,011 | $55,011 | ||
| 2 | California Institute of Technology | $58,443 | $60,294 | ||
| 3 | Pomona College | - | - | ||
| 4 | Claremont McKenna College | $64,288 | $64,288 | ||
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles | $13,036 | $28,138 | $13,036 | $13,043 |
| 6 | University of California-Berkeley | $14,160 | $29,262 | $14,160 | $14,076 |
| 7 | University of Southern California | $61,396 | $77,378 | ||
| 8 | Harvey Mudd College | - | - | ||
| 9 | Soka University of America | $34,166 | $34,371 | ||
| 10 | Scripps College | $46,774 | $46,774 | ||
| Average | $13,598 | $47,185 | $13,559 | $49,430 | |