Editor’s Note: This article has been updated from its original version to reflect data for the 2015-2016 academic year.
If you are seeking to attend a college in the state of California you have many excellent academic institutions to choose from, both private and public, research universities or liberal arts colleges. This is a ranking of the top 10 colleges in California as ranked by College Factual. This ranking is out of 82 total schools listed for California.
Don’t live in California? You can find the best college in your state by visiting this page.
College Factual’s ranking methodology is highly focused on outcomes data, like loan default rates, graduation rates and average starting salaries of graduates. You can read more about their methodology in this article.
1. Stanford University
A Stanford University student walks in front of Hoover Tower on the Stanford University campus in Palo Alto, Calif. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
Stanford is the top ranked college for the state of California, and one of the top 10 schools in the nation in 2016. This private research university is well-known for its science and engineering programs. Some of the most popular majors include biology, engineering, computer science, and economics.
With a low student loan default rate and a high earnings boost for graduates, Stanford is considered a good value for the money, boasting a high return on investment. Some notable Stanford alumni have founded high-profile tech companies such as Google and Yahoo!.
2. Harvey Mudd College
Harvey Mudd is a small, private liberal arts college that is focused on science and engineering, while still offering courses in the arts and humanities. Students benefit greatly from their focused programs, a low student to faculty ratio, and high graduation rates. The college is ranked 15th nationally, and graduates get a high earnings boost.
Harvey Mudd is also part of the Claremont University Consortium, a grouping of 5 undergraduate and 2 graduate colleges in Claremont that offer cross-registration and social interactivity between campuses. This gives students the benefits of attending a small college, while still being able to take advantage of a wider array of options and resources available through the consortium.
3. California Institute of Technology
Caltech is another strong, private research university that focuses heavily on science and engineering programs. Caltech is a relatively small university with a diverse student body and a very low student to faculty ratio of 3 to 1. They come in at 17th in the overall best colleges ranking, and have a top-ranked Physical Sciences program.
4. Pomona College
Pomona is a private, liberal arts college that is selective, yet affordable. Founded in 1887, Pomona was styled to be a New England type of college, with small class sizes and a rigorous curriculum in the arts and science. Some of the most popular majors at the college are economics, mathematics, psychology, and molecular biology. Pomona was a founding member of the Claremont University Consortium (CUC).
Dig deeper into College Factual’s best colleges in California with this interactive tool:
5. University of Southern California
University of Southern California (USC) is a large private university with many highly ranked programs. The university has high freshmen and retention rates, low student loan default rates and a high earnings boost.
Some of the most popular fields of study include business, social sciences and visual and performing arts. USC is located in downtown Los Angeles where students have access to a number of cultural and entertainment outlets.
6. Claremont McKenna College
Claremont McKenna is another great option for students looking for a small, liberal arts college with excellent educational standards. The college is ranked 28th out of 1386 colleges nationwide, and also boasts a good value for the money. The college has a special focus on economics, government and public affairs, with some of its most popular majors are economics, political science and accounting.
Claremont is another college that is part of the CUC, with students being able to cross register at any of the four other undergraduate institutions that are part of the consortium.
7. University of California-Los Angeles
UCLA is a large public research university that offers the affordability of a public school while at the same time being very selective and academically rigorous. The most popular fields of study at the university include history, engineering, biological and biomedical sciences, social sciences, and foreign languages and linguistics. Its social studies and history programs are ranked as the most popular in the country.
8. Soka University of America
Soka University is a small and unique liberal arts college with small class sizes and excellent graduation rates. The college has an international approach to education, with a semester spent studying abroad built into the tuition making it an option for every student.
The college is also very diverse with many students attending from outside of the country. Founded on Buddhist principles, the college is open to students of all beliefs. Many students may also enjoy its close proximity to the beach!
9. University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley is one of the most selective public universities in the U.S., only accepting 18% of applicants. Being a public school, Berkeley is also fairly affordable, with low student loan default rates, and graduates who report higher than average salaries. They have several top-ranking programs including their biology major, and the mathematics major.
Sproul Plaza on the University of California, Berkeley campus with the Campanile in the background in Berkeley, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
10. University of California-San Diego
Rounding out our top 10 list is another research university, the University of California-San Diego. This large public university is selective, yet affordable for students with a low student loan default rate. Some of the most popular majors include psychology, economics, political science, biology and chemistry.
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Filed under: COLLEGE CHOICE, THE LOWDOWN FROM COLLEGE FACTUAL Tagged: California, California Institute of Technology, choosing a college, Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, pomona college, Soka University, Stanford University, UCLA, University of California – San Diego, University of California Berkeley, University of Southern California