Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in California provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.
California’s higher education institutes span across the entire state, allowing students to study by the beach, in the forest, in small towns, and in large cities. There are over 30 high quality online programs that would allow you to earn a degree from literally anywhere in California, or the world.
The state’s largest university is the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). UCLA serves nearly 44,000 students and offers a tuition rate around $13,000. This isn’t the only school with a large student body though. California is home to 23 colleges and universities with student populations of over 20,000 students.
Find college admissions consultants in your state.
However, more than half of the state’s schools serve smaller student populations, offering plenty of options for students who crave a more intimate campus experience. Additionally, California boasts 50 religiously affiliated schools. Many of these schools have high graduation rates. However, tuition costs can range greatly, from $8,000 at Bethesda University up to $54,000 at Pepperdine University.
Additionally, many of California’s colleges and universities boast influential faculty and alumni, including Neil Armstrong, Jerry Lewis, and Weird Al
Yankovic. In addition to famous alumni and professors, California’s schools are also home to some of the country’s top degree programs, including nursing, business, religious studies, education, literature, and law. Many of these schools offer online courses and complete online programs in these same disciplines.
Though Hollywood has given us an inside look into California’s most popular landmarks and attractions, these one-of-a-kind places aren’t the only reason people flock to The Golden State. With hundreds of colleges and universities, as well as community and junior colleges, to choose from, students have countless opportunities to further their education in California.
Many of these opportunities are also accessible through online courses and online colleges. A growing number of online programs in California have received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools, which means online students have a higher level of quality assurance than ever before. It’s also worth noting that students who live in California can still get an in-state discount on their associate degree or bachelor’s degree even when completing online courses or online programs.
To learn more about earning your degree in California, check out some of the state’s top programs and career paths.
Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.
Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.
This list is composed entirely of public colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 47 public universities in California. To be included in our list of the best public colleges in California, shcools must receive direct funding from the state, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor’s degress.
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
14%
Graduation
93%
Student body
43K
Median SAT/ACT
1420/32
University of California, Berkeley’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
11%
Graduation
92%
Student body
46K
University of California, Los Angeles’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$15K
Acceptance
34%
Graduation
89%
Student body
41K
Median SAT/ACT
1375/31
University of California, San Diego’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
29%
Graduation
85%
Student body
27K
Median SAT/ACT
1345/31
University of California, Santa Barbara’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
29%
Graduation
84%
Student body
37K
Median SAT/ACT
1330/29
University of California, Irvine’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$15K
Acceptance
49%
Graduation
87%
Student body
38K
Median SAT/ACT
1280/29
University of California, Davis’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
59%
Graduation
78%
Student body
20K
Median SAT/ACT
1260/29
University of California, Santa Cruz’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
76%
Student body
26K
Median SAT/ACT
1180/26
University of California, Riverside’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
38%
Graduation
76%
Student body
34K
Median SAT/ACT
1195/25
San Diego State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
54%
Student body
24K
Median SAT/ACT
1030/19
San Francisco State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
69%
Student body
31K
Median SAT/ACT
1125/22
San Jose State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
54%
Student body
34K
Median SAT/ACT
1005/19
California State University, Northridge’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
59%
Graduation
71%
Student body
36K
Median SAT/ACT
1090/20
California State University, Fullerton’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
91%
Graduation
52%
Student body
23K
Median SAT/ACT
965/17
California State University, Los Angeles’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
47%
Graduation
75%
Student body
34K
Median SAT/ACT
1130/23
California State University, Long Beach’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
57%
Student body
22K
Median SAT/ACT
995/18
California State University, Fresno’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
65%
Student body
15K
Median SAT/ACT
1070/21
California State University, Chico’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
57%
Student body
28K
Median SAT/ACT
1030/20
California State University, Sacramento’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
33%
Graduation
85%
Student body
22K
Median SAT/ACT
1315/29
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
61%
Graduation
70%
Student body
26K
Median SAT/ACT
1130/23
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
48%
Student body
15K
California State University, East Bay’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
60%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/20
Sonoma State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$14K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
72%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/21
University of California, Merced’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$1K
Graduation
32%
Student body
18K
Santa Monica College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
53%
Student body
15K
California State University, Dominguez Hills’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.