Lens covers 32 big-city colleges on the West Coast, 16 public and 16 private. They range from Minerva University (637 undergraduates) to California State University, Long Beach (35,924). Acceptance rates run from 3% to 96%, and 21 of the 32 admit at least half of applicants.
Big-city colleges are in a city of 250,000 people or more (NCES locale). It describes the surrounding area; some city colleges have a campus of their own. In Lens, the West Coast means California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington.
Open these 32 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 32 big-city colleges on the West Coast
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Baptist University | Riverside, California | 8,179 | 85% | $41,228 |
| California State University, Bakersfield | Bakersfield, California | 8,577 | 94% | $8,090 in-state · $20,690 out-of-state |
| California State University, Fresno | Fresno, California | 21,605 | 95% | $7,350 in-state · $19,950 out-of-state |
| California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach, California | 35,924 | 46% | $7,350 in-state · $19,950 out-of-state |
| California State University, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | 19,562 | 91% | $7,160 in-state · $19,760 out-of-state |
| California State University, Northridge | Northridge, California | 32,691 | 93% | $7,458 in-state · $20,058 out-of-state |
| California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento, California | 28,350 | 94% | $8,018 in-state · $20,618 out-of-state |
| Concordia University–Irvine | Irvine, California | 1,536 | 66% | $43,480 |
| Hawaii Pacific University | Honolulu, Hawaii | 2,392 | 86% | $34,392 |
| Lewis & Clark College | Portland, Oregon | 2,120 | 78% | $64,828 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles, California | 7,094 | 45% | $62,357 |
| Minerva University | San Francisco, California | 637 | 3% | $23,630 |
| Mount Saint Mary's University | Los Angeles, California | 1,719 | 73% | $49,564 |
| Occidental College | Los Angeles, California | 1,877 | 44% | $66,274 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, California | 3,188 | 84% | $46,250 |
| Portland State University | Portland, Oregon | 13,182 | 91% | $11,679 in-state · $31,074 out-of-state |
| Reed College | Portland, Oregon | 1,320 | 25% | $69,350 |
| San Diego State University | San Diego, California | 35,377 | 36% | $8,728 in-state · $21,328 out-of-state |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco, California | 18,639 | 96% | $7,950 in-state · $20,550 out-of-state |
| San Jose State University | San Jose, California | 27,601 | 85% | $8,410 in-state · $21,010 out-of-state |
| Seattle University | Seattle, Washington | 4,062 | 77% | $56,721 |
| University of California, Irvine | Irvine, California | 30,197 | 29% | $15,722 in-state · $49,922 out-of-state |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | 33,475 | 9% | $15,203 in-state · $49,403 out-of-state |
| University of California, Riverside | Riverside, California | 22,593 | 76% | $15,606 in-state · $49,806 out-of-state |
| University of California, San Diego | La Jolla, California | 34,948 | 27% | $16,758 in-state · $50,958 out-of-state |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | Honolulu, Hawaii | 15,029 | 87% | $12,186 in-state · $34,218 out-of-state |
| University of Portland | Portland, Oregon | 2,957 | 89% | $58,100 |
| University of San Diego | San Diego, California | 5,671 | 52% | $59,486 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco, California | 5,287 | 62% | $60,492 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, California | 20,443 | 10% | $72,097 |
| University of Washington–Seattle | Seattle, Washington | 31,942 | 39% | $12,973 in-state · $43,209 out-of-state |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, California | 3,204 | 71% | $57,080 |
Sources: IPEDS (fall 2024 enrollment and admissions); College Scorecard (published tuition and fees before aid, about 2023–24). You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships.
Related lists
- Big-City Colleges
- Big-City Colleges in the Northeast
- Big-City Colleges in the Southeast
- Big-City Colleges in the Midwest
- Big-City Colleges in the South and Southwest
- Big-City Colleges in the Mountain West
- Liberal Arts Colleges on the West Coast
- Large Public Universities on the West Coast
- Smaller Public Universities on the West Coast
- Smaller Private Universities on the West Coast
- Catholic Colleges on the West Coast
- Christian Colleges on the West Coast
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports on the West Coast
- Division I Colleges on the West Coast
FAQ
Which big-city colleges on the West Coast admit at least half of applicants? 21 of the 32: California Baptist University, California State University, Bakersfield, California State University, Fresno, California State University, Los Angeles, California State University, Northridge, California State University, Sacramento, Concordia University–Irvine, Hawaii Pacific University, Lewis & Clark College, Mount Saint Mary's University, Point Loma Nazarene University, Portland State University and 9 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest big-city colleges on the West Coast? California State University, Long Beach is the largest, with 35,924 undergraduates, and Minerva University is the smallest, with 637 (fall 2024).
How many big-city colleges on the West Coast are public? 16 of the 32 are public and 16 are private.
Where these numbers come from
Lens covers the 850 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges that receive the most applications, so some smaller colleges are not listed. Enrollment, acceptance rates and degrees come from IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education, fall 2024); published prices from the College Scorecard. Each college's page lists its own sources. See the data behind Lens.