Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Caltech offer prestigious universities and internship opportunities in Silicon Valley, making California a good choice for students. In addition to its pleasant climate and natural beauty, it offers a multicultural environment for personal development. Career-driven and arts/media students are benefited by a thriving economy, industry connections, and entertainment opportunities. Healthcare and biomedical pursuits are supported by top-notch medical institutions and progressive values. Overall, California offers a rewarding educational experience with a great deal of potential for personal and academic advancement.
Best Colleges in California 2023
| S.No | University | National University Rankings | Tuition And Fees(Out-of-State / In-State) | Undergraduate Enrollment (fall 2021) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University | #3 | $56,169 | 7,645 |
| 2 | California Institute of Technology | #9 | $60,864 | 987 |
| 3 | University of California, Berkeley | #20 | $43,980 / $14,226 | 32,143 |
| 4 | University of California, Los Angeles | #20 | $44,830 / $13,804 | 32,119 |
| 5 | University of Southern California | #25 | $64,726 | 20,790 |
| 6 | University of California, Santa Barbara | #32 | $44,204 / $14,450 | 23,091 |
| 7 | University of California, Irvine | #34 | $43,739 / $13,985 | 29,449 |
| 8 | University of California, San Diego | #34 | $46,374 / $15,348 | 33,343 |
| 9 | University of California, Davis | #38 | $44,494 / $14,740 | 31,657 |
| 10 | Pepperdine University | #55 | $63,142 | 3,708 |
1. Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies 8,180 acres, among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students.
Stanford University is a private institution that was founded in 1885. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,645 (fall 2021). Stanford University’s ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #3.
If you are selected, the university has enough resources to help you. and if your parents are earning less than $150,000, then they are not expected to pay tuition fees.
2. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
California Institute of Technology is a private institution that was founded in 1891. The university is responsible for many modern scientific advancements and is among a small group of institutes of technology in the United States which are strongly devoted to the instruction of pure and applied sciences.
It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 987 (fall 2021), its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 124 acres. California Institute of Technology’s ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #9.
Around 1,000 undergrads and 1,400 grad students attend the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Also, Caltech has 46 Nobel Prize winners. and You can choose from 28 majors or 30 graduate programs at Caltech.
3. University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley is a public institution that was founded in 1868. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 32,143 (fall 2021), its setting is city, and the campus size is 1,232 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of California, Berkeley’s ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #20. Its in-state tuition and fees are $14,226; out-of-state tuition and fees are $43,980.
The University of California, Berkeley is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California with 32 libraries housing over 13 million volumes. It was established in 1868 as the University of California and is the state’s first land-grant university and the founding campus of the University of California system.
4. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school then known as the southern branch of the California State Normal School. Its campus size is 419 acres. Los Angeles’ ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #20.
UCLA has an Estimated price with an average grant of $17,400. and the Graduation rate is 91%. The Median earnings for recent graduates is around $73,400
5. University of Southern California (USC)
The University of Southern California is a private research university in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1880 by Robert Maclay Widney, it is the oldest private research university in California. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 20,790 (fall 2021), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 226 acres. University of Southern California’s ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #25.
6. University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
The University of California, Santa Barbara is a public land-grant research university in Santa Barbara, California, United States. It is part of the University of California’s university system. It was founded in 1909. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 23,091 (fall 2021), its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 989 acres.
University of California, Santa Barbara’s ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #32. UC Santa Barbara offers over 200 areas of study to its 26,000 students. and Average Undergrad Tuition is $11,442 for in-state and $41,196 for out-of-state.
7. University of California, Irvine (UCI)
The University of California, Irvine (UCI or UC Irvine), is a public land-grant research university in Irvine, California. One of the ten campuses of the University of California system. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 29,449 (fall 2021), its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 1,475 acres. University of California, Irvine’s ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #34.
8. University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
The University of California, San Diego is a public land-grant research university in La Jolla, California. It was founded in 1960. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 33,343 (fall 2021), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 1,976 acres. The University of California, San Diego’s ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #34.
Popular majors at UC San Diego are Biology, psychology, economics, and mathematics.
9. University of California, Davis (UC Davis)
The University of California, Davis is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. It was founded in 1905. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 31,657 (fall 2021), its setting is city, and the campus size is 5,300 acres. University of California, Davis’ ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #38.
10. Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is a private research university affiliated with the Churches of Christ with its main campus in Los Angeles County, California. It was founded in 1937. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 3,708 (fall 2021), its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 830 acres. Pepperdine University’s ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #55.
