Best Colleges in California

California is 163,696 square miles and contains the largest higher education system in the nation. Colleges in California include notable institutions such as Stanford University, CalTech, and UCLA. The Golden State is known for birthing the American film industry as well as the Internet, and its economy centers around professional and business services, educational and health services, financial activities, and leisure and hospitality. California has a largely mediterranean climate, but can range from polar to subtropical depending on region. The Golden Gate Bridge, Palm Springs, Yosemite National Park, and Universal Studios Hollywood are primary tourist spots. Lesser known hot spots in Cali include Victorville’s California Route 66 Museum, the Redwoods in Arcata, and the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Preserve.

How Were the Top Schools in California Chosen?

Appily determines “Best Colleges” based on publicly-available information from the US Department of Education. Several factors include, but are not limited to, data about admitted students’ academic calibers, students’ expected career outcomes after graduation, and colleges’ investments toward making their institution accessible to all students.

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Established in 2003, Presidio Graduate School is a private, business education institution with campuses located in San Francisco and Seattle. Presidio offers three master’s degree programs in Sustainable Solutions, an MBA/MPA Dual Degree option, and...

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Located on the site of the first high school in the area, San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus is a 4-year institution and a campus in the SDSU system. SDSU-IV is home to schools of Arts & Sciences, Education, and Professional Studies...

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Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute is a graduate school and research institution in San Diego dedicated to training medical scientists and eradicating disease. SBP is home to the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences featuring a 4.5...

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Santiago Canyon College is a 2-year community college in Orange County, California.  SCC offers over 160 degrees and certificates, with 21 associate degrees boasting transfer guarantees to any California State University. Santiago Canyon also directs...

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I have taken quite a few classes at SCC and I feel as though I have retained a large portion of what I have studied. I have taken anything from Psychology to English to Human Sexuality; the wide range of classes offered really makes SCC a great...

” – Lisa from Anaheim, CA
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Saybrook University is a progressive graduate school that combines online learning with low-residency study. Saybrook is comprised of two colleges in Social Sciences and Integrative Medicine & Health Sciences, with offer master’s degrees and PhDs in...

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Founded as an institute of transpersonal psychology, Sofia University is a for-profit college specializing in psychology and business studies. Sofia offers a bachelor’s degree program in Psychology as well as master’s degrees in Psychology, Business...

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From its campus in the greater San Diego area, Southern California Seminary is a Christian institution training students for ministry. The seminary’s academic programs are founded on Biblical literalism and culminate in a bachelor’s degree in...

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Southern California University of Health Sciences is a private, medical education institution established in Whittier, California. The college features hands-on learning in the form of clinical training and opportunities for residency. Students can...

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St. John’s Seminary is a Roman Catholic institution in southern California with a focus on training candidates for the priesthood. St. John’s offers master’s degree programs in Divinity, Pastoral Ministry, and Arts as well as a Pastoral Ministry...

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A member of the Graduate Theological Union, Starr King School for the Ministry is a Christian seminary in Berkeley affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Church. Starr King offers three master’s degree programs in Divinity, Arts, and Social...

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Located in the San Joaquin County Office of Education, the Teachers College of San Joaquin is a graduate school for educators in northern California. TCSJ offers a master’s degree in Education as well as teaching and administrative service...

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The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Irvine is a graduate university. Despite the midwestern city in its name, it’s located in the Los Angeles area. Because the Irvine campus features a large Latinx population, The Chicago School...

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The Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law at Santa Barbara is a law school and regional campus along southern California’s Pacific Coast. The Santa Barbara campus offers a JD program and a master’s degree in Legal Studies as well as a hybrid JD...

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The Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law at Ventura is a law school in the greater Los Angeles area. The Ventura campus offers JD and Master of Legal Studies programs as well as a hybrid online JD program with monthly on-site residencies. In...

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Established in 1956, the University of America is a private institution located in Bogotá, Colombia. The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree and certificate programs in several concentrations throughout the Architecture...

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Headquartered in a Bay Area English Tudor-style mansion, The Wright Institute is a graduate school of psychology in Berkeley. The Wright Institute offers a 2-year master’s degree program in Counseling and a 3-year doctorate in Clinical Psychology. To...