Best Grad Schools California 2026

Badge for BEST IN CALIFORNIA GRADUATE SCHOOLS

By Dr. James Barham
Reviewed By Jenn Finley

Updated: Feb 19, 2026

Key Takeaways

Many California institutions have elite academics, beautiful weather, and a wide range of recreational opportunities. The state is a clear choice for those interested in specific professional pathways, including technology or film.
California is home to 23 colleges and hosts some of the country’s top colleges, including Stanford University, University of California Berkeley, Pepperdine University, and California State University.
Tuition and fees in this state are high, with an average of $40,000 for graduate school. The cheapest on the list include California State University and San Francisco State University, with $7,000 per year.

Table of Contents

10 Best Grad Schools in California in 2026

University of California, Berkeley
Stanford University
University of California, Los Angeles
California Institute of Technology
University of Southern California
University of California, San Diego
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Davis

Exploring California’s Top Graduate Schools

California is one of the most envied states in the education sector. California receives a lot of recognition and funding for their graduate programs and graduate certificate programs compared to other states such as Illinois, Ohio, and Maryland.

But it’s not enough for grad school students to randomly pick one of the best grad schools and assume it’s the best for them.

Knowing the facts will help you weigh the pros and cons of studying in California and help you to decide which graduate school is best for you.

Where should you attend graduate school in California?

Not all students are the same. Some may want to study in large urban areas while other students may want to study in a less populated area. Regardless of the setting, California has something for you.

For students who want to pursue graduate programs near large cities, the best schools for them include:

University of Southern California
University of San Diego
San Francisco State University
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, San Francisco
San Diego State University
California State University, Long Beach
Loyola Marymount University
University of San Francisco

Students who want to study in less populated areas should consider exploring other universities, including:

California Institute of Technology
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Davis
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Riverside
Pepperdine University
Claremont Graduate University
Santa Clara University
California Institute of the Arts
Naval Postgraduate School
University of California, Merced
Chapman University

Largest and Smallest Graduate Schools in California

Some students want to attend large universities because of the vast academic and social options available. There are generally more specialized majors and programs available to students at larger schools.

On the other hand, students may want to consider enrolling in smaller graduate schools where they can receive more individualized learning opportunities.

Here are the most populated graduate schools in California.

University of California, Los Angeles (45K students)
University of California, Berkeley (45K students)
University of Southern California (49K students)
University of California, San Diego (39K students)
University of California, Irvine (37K students)

Here are the least populated graduate schools in California:

Claremont Graduate University (1K students)
Golden Gate University (2K students)
California Institute of Technology (2K students)
Naval Postgraduate School (2K students)
University of the Pacific (6K students)

Lowest Average Graduate Tuition

Many prospective graduate students are pretty concerned about the cost of obtaining a graduate degree. To assist students in determining which program could be the most inexpensive, here are the least expensive graduate schools in California on the list that are below $15,000.

San Diego State University ($3K)
University of California, Riverside ($4K)
California State University, Los Angeles ($8K)
California State University, Long Beach ($8K)
San Francisco State University ($8K)
University of California, Santa Barbara ($11K)
University of California, Berkeley ($14K)
University of California, Santa Barbara ($11K)
University of California, Santa Cruz ($14K)

How do we determine California's best grad schools?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

There are 47 doctorate-granting graduate schools in California. Our ranking of the best graduate schools in the California is composed of both private and public schools. To be included, schools must be fully accredited non-profit institutions, and must offer doctoral degrees and a broad array of graduate degrees.

This list highlights programs that combine sustained research activity, faculty expertise, funded opportunities for graduate students, and a breadth of graduate offerings across disciplines. Use the ranking as a starting point—compare programs by department strength, funding and assistantship availability, location and industry connections, and graduate outcomes rather than relying on rank alone. The entries that follow summarize each institution’s distinctive strengths to help you match program priorities to your professional and academic goals.

Best Grad Schools in California

California’s Best Grad School for Your Area of Interest

Whether you’re just getting started on your college search, you’re looking for survival tips on your way to a bachelor’s degree, or you’re preparing for the transition into grad school, we’ve got guides, how to’s and tons of other valuable resources to keep you moving forward in your educational journey.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here

Best Grad Schools California 2026

Key Takeaways

10 Best Grad Schools in California in 2026

Exploring California’s Top Graduate Schools

Where should you attend graduate school in California?

Largest and Smallest Graduate Schools in California

Lowest Average Graduate Tuition

Best Grad Schools in California

Last Year’s Ranking:

Career Outlook for degree at University of California, Berkeley

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Stanford University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of California, Los Angeles

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at California Institute of Technology

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of Southern California

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of California, San Diego

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of California, Santa Barbara

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of California, Irvine

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of California, Santa Cruz

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of California, Davis

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of California, Riverside

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at San Francisco State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at San Diego State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Pepperdine University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Santa Clara University

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of San Francisco

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Chapman University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Loyola Marymount University

Most Influential Alumni

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of the Pacific

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at California State University, Los Angeles

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at California State University, Long Beach

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at University of San Diego

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Golden Gate University

Most Influential Alumni

California’s Best Grad School for Your Area of Interest

Resources for Prospective Grad Students