Lens covers 18 Division III colleges on the West Coast, 1 public and 17 private. They range from Whittier College (764 undergraduates) to University of California, Santa Cruz (17,940). Acceptance rates run from 3% to 94%, and 12 of the 18 admit at least half of applicants.
Division III colleges compete in NCAA Division III, which gives no athletic scholarships; many students play (Equity in Athletics, 2024–25). In Lens, the West Coast means California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington.
Open these 18 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 18 Division III colleges on the West Coast
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Technology | Pasadena, California | 987 | 3% | $65,898 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks, California | 2,296 | 76% | $52,560 |
| Chapman University | Orange, California | 7,478 | 65% | $64,984 |
| Claremont McKenna College | Claremont, California | 1,388 | 10% | $67,980 |
| George Fox University | Newberg, Oregon | 2,699 | 94% | $42,750 |
| Lewis & Clark College | Portland, Oregon | 2,120 | 78% | $64,828 |
| Occidental College | Los Angeles, California | 1,877 | 44% | $66,274 |
| Pacific Lutheran University | Tacoma, Washington | 2,401 | 78% | $52,254 |
| Pitzer College | Claremont, California | 1,227 | 25% | $65,192 |
| Pomona College | Claremont, California | 1,666 | 7% | $65,420 |
| University of California, Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, California | 17,940 | 66% | $16,005 in-state · $50,205 out-of-state |
| University of La Verne | La Verne, California | 3,050 | 71% | $49,470 |
| University of Puget Sound | Tacoma, Washington | 1,594 | 72% | $62,898 |
| University of Redlands | Redlands, California | 2,049 | 83% | $60,878 |
| Whitman College | Walla Walla, Washington | 1,531 | 38% | $64,050 |
| Whittier College | Whittier, California | 764 | 81% | $51,350 |
| Whitworth University | Spokane, Washington | 1,858 | 90% | $52,880 |
| Willamette University | Salem, Oregon | 1,592 | 77% | $51,156 |
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
- Division III Colleges
- Division III Colleges in the Northeast
- Division III Colleges in the Southeast
- Division III Colleges in the Midwest
- Division III Colleges in the South and Southwest
- 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 Division III colleges on the West Coast admit at least half of applicants? 12 of the 18: California Lutheran University, Chapman University, George Fox University, Lewis & Clark College, Pacific Lutheran University, University of California, Santa Cruz, University of La Verne, University of Puget Sound, University of Redlands, Whittier College, Whitworth University, Willamette University (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest Division III colleges on the West Coast? University of California, Santa Cruz is the largest, with 17,940 undergraduates, and Whittier College is the smallest, with 764 (fall 2024).
How many Division III colleges on the West Coast are public? 1 of the 18 are public and 17 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.