Lens covers 61 four-year colleges in California, 31 public and 30 private. They range from Minerva University (637 undergraduates) to California State University, Fullerton (38,546). Acceptance rates run from 3% to 98%, and 40 of the 61 admit at least half of applicants.
Open these 61 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 61 four-year colleges in California
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa | 2,759 | 88% | $44,458 |
| Biola University | La Mirada | 3,474 | 74% | $48,984 |
| California Baptist University | Riverside | 8,179 | 85% | $41,228 |
| California Institute of Technology | Pasadena | 987 | 3% | $65,898 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks | 2,296 | 76% | $52,560 |
| California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo | San Luis Obispo | 21,996 | 31% | $13,596 in-state · $34,665 out-of-state |
| California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt | Arcata | 5,612 | 98% | $8,250 in-state · $20,850 out-of-state |
| California State Polytechnic University, Pomona | Pomona | 25,042 | 75% | $7,780 in-state · $20,380 out-of-state |
| California State University, Bakersfield | Bakersfield | 8,577 | 94% | $8,090 in-state · $20,690 out-of-state |
| California State University, Channel Islands | Camarillo | 5,013 | 95% | $7,159 in-state · $19,759 out-of-state |
| California State University, Chico | Chico | 13,631 | 93% | $8,472 in-state · $21,072 out-of-state |
| California State University, Dominguez Hills | Carson | 12,538 | 93% | $7,449 in-state · $20,049 out-of-state |
| California State University, East Bay | Hayward | 9,809 | 97% | $7,583 in-state · $20,183 out-of-state |
| California State University, Fresno | Fresno | 21,605 | 95% | $7,350 in-state · $19,950 out-of-state |
| California State University, Fullerton | Fullerton | 38,546 | 91% | $7,470 in-state · $20,070 out-of-state |
| California State University, Long Beach | Long Beach | 35,924 | 46% | $7,350 in-state · $19,950 out-of-state |
| California State University, Los Angeles | Los Angeles | 19,562 | 91% | $7,160 in-state · $19,760 out-of-state |
| California State University, Monterey Bay | Seaside | 6,819 | 97% | $7,779 in-state · $20,379 out-of-state |
| California State University, Northridge | Northridge | 32,691 | 93% | $7,458 in-state · $20,058 out-of-state |
| California State University, Sacramento | Sacramento | 28,350 | 94% | $8,018 in-state · $20,618 out-of-state |
| California State University, San Bernardino | San Bernardino | 15,023 | 94% | $8,093 in-state · $20,693 out-of-state |
| California State University, San Marcos | San Marcos | 14,877 | 95% | $8,082 in-state · $20,682 out-of-state |
| California State University, Stanislaus | Turlock | 8,385 | 98% | $8,246 in-state · $20,846 out-of-state |
| Chapman University | Orange | 7,478 | 65% | $64,984 |
| Claremont McKenna College | Claremont | 1,388 | 10% | $67,980 |
| Concordia University–Irvine | Irvine | 1,536 | 66% | $43,480 |
| Harvey Mudd College | Claremont | 921 | 13% | $68,613 |
| Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles | 7,094 | 45% | $62,357 |
| Menlo College | Atherton | 752 | 68% | $53,630 |
| Minerva University | San Francisco | 637 | 3% | $23,630 |
| Mount Saint Mary's University | Los Angeles | 1,719 | 73% | $49,564 |
| Occidental College | Los Angeles | 1,877 | 44% | $66,274 |
| Pepperdine University | Malibu | 3,553 | 63% | $69,918 |
| Pitzer College | Claremont | 1,227 | 25% | $65,192 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego | 3,188 | 84% | $46,250 |
| Pomona College | Claremont | 1,666 | 7% | $65,420 |
| Saint Mary's College of California | Moraga | 1,947 | 87% | $57,803 |
| San Diego State University | San Diego | 35,377 | 36% | $8,728 in-state · $21,328 out-of-state |
| San Francisco State University | San Francisco | 18,639 | 96% | $7,950 in-state · $20,550 out-of-state |
| San Jose State University | San Jose | 27,601 | 85% | $8,410 in-state · $21,010 out-of-state |
| Santa Clara University | Santa Clara | 6,552 | 48% | $61,293 |
| Scripps College | Claremont | 1,113 | 38% | $65,950 |
| Sonoma State University | Rohnert Park | 5,166 | 93% | $8,624 in-state · $21,224 out-of-state |
| Stanford University | Stanford | 7,554 | 4% | $65,910 |
| University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley | 33,068 | 11% | $16,347 in-state · $50,547 out-of-state |
| University of California, Davis | Davis | 32,253 | 42% | $16,774 in-state · $50,974 out-of-state |
| University of California, Irvine | Irvine | 30,197 | 29% | $15,722 in-state · $49,922 out-of-state |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles | 33,475 | 9% | $15,203 in-state · $49,403 out-of-state |
| University of California, Merced | Merced | 8,372 | 91% | $15,623 in-state · $49,823 out-of-state |
| University of California, Riverside | Riverside | 22,593 | 76% | $15,606 in-state · $49,806 out-of-state |
| University of California, San Diego | La Jolla | 34,948 | 27% | $16,758 in-state · $50,958 out-of-state |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | 23,113 | 33% | $16,414 in-state · $50,614 out-of-state |
| University of California, Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz | 17,940 | 66% | $16,005 in-state · $50,205 out-of-state |
| University of La Verne | La Verne | 3,050 | 71% | $49,470 |
| University of Redlands | Redlands | 2,049 | 83% | $60,878 |
| University of San Diego | San Diego | 5,671 | 52% | $59,486 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco | 5,287 | 62% | $60,492 |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles | 20,443 | 10% | $72,097 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton | 3,204 | 71% | $57,080 |
| Vanguard University of Southern California | Costa Mesa | 1,933 | 62% | $41,700 |
| Whittier College | Whittier | 764 | 81% | $51,350 |
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
- Colleges in Oregon
- Colleges in Washington
- 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 four-year colleges in California admit at least half of applicants? 40 of the 61: Azusa Pacific University, Biola University, California Baptist University, California Lutheran University, California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, California State University, Bakersfield, California State University, Channel Islands, California State University, Chico, California State University, Dominguez Hills, California State University, East Bay, California State University, Fresno and 28 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest four-year colleges in California? California State University, Fullerton is the largest, with 38,546 undergraduates, and Minerva University is the smallest, with 637 (fall 2024).
How many four-year colleges in California are public? 31 of the 61 are public and 30 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.