Best Colleges in California

Why Should I Consider Studying in California?

Known for its warm climate and large range of activities, California has long been a popular destination for aspiring college students. From the rolling vineyards to the sunny beaches in Los Angeles and San Diego, the state is a year round destination for millions of travelers.

Starting in the south, UCLA and USC offer some of the best undergraduate programs in the country, both have well-rounded students and do an excellent job at preparing students for their professional careers. Los Angeles is also home to Loyola Marymount, Cal State Los Angeles, Pepperdine, and Occidental College - among many other renowned universities.

Moving up north, the Bay Area houses national elites such as Stanford and Berkeley, two long standing and incredible institutions. Not only do these schools produce some of the best young professionals, but the surrounding area is home to many of the world’s most innovative companies. Many of these companies are involved in cutting-edge technology meaning that landing an incredible internship or job can be especially accessible to the determined young professional. The greater San Francisco area also has numerous other liberal arts colleges, most of which are much smaller, such as Santa Clara University and Mills College.

Jumping all the way to the north of the most populated state in America, you’ll find the University of California Davis and Sacramento State both in Sacramento. Not only does Sacramento once again offer an exceptional year round climate, but the education is outstanding in numerous fields. In the surrounding area you’ll also find Humboldt State (check out their environmental programs) and Chico State, known as a vibrant college town.

California Higher Education By The Numbers

Colleges in California

California has the most colleges in the United States with 607 colleges based there. For reference, The median state only has 83 colleges. 69% of California's colleges are private and 31% of its colleges are public. (420 private colleges & 187 public colleges). It has the 20th highest private to public college ratio nationally.

Our favorite colleges in California are Stanford University, California Institute of Technology, and Harvey Mudd College. University of California-Los Angeles has more students than all other public colleges in California's top 25 colleges with 46,947. University of Southern California has the most students of any private college in our top 25 (52,376).

Students in California

The median state has 314,827 college students. California has 12 times more. There are 3,021,304 public college students and 726,175 private college students in California. It has the most public students and the most private students of any state. Its 3,747,479 total students make it the most popular location in the nation. 81% of students in California are enrolled in public institutions which is the 23rd highest percentage nationally.