So why do so many non-California residents and international students want to study in California? Quite simply, California has it all! California boasts one of the largest economies in the world and is an international epicenter for the entertainment, information, education, and technology industries.

Nationally, California is a significant contributor in the agricultural, aerospace, and manufacturing sectors, which is why many universities have created high quality and affordable programs that focus on Engineering and Technology.

The Best Colleges in California 2019 ranking is based on rigorous analysis of academic, admissions, financial, and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with millions of reviews from students and alumni. The ranking compares more than 1,000 top colleges and universities in the U.S. Read more on how this ranking was calculated.

The Best Colleges In California 2019

10.Pitzer College

Pitzer College is a private residential liberal arts college located in Claremont, California, United States. One of the Claremont Colleges, the college has a curricular emphasis on the social sciences, behavioral sciences, international programs, and media studies.

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Avg cost after aid: $25,521
SAT Score Range: 1300 -1450
ACT Score Range: 29- 32

9.University of California – Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a public research university and one of the 10 campuses of the University of California system. The main campus is located on a 1,022-acre site near Isla Vista, California, United States, 8 miles from Santa Barbara and 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Avg cost after aid: $ 15,149
SAT Score Range: 1120- 1390
ACT Score Range: 27- 32

8.Harvey Mudd College

Harvey Mudd College is a private residential undergraduate science and engineering college in Claremont, California. It is one of the institutions of the contiguous Claremont Colleges which share adjoining campus grounds.

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Avg cost after aid: $35,460
SAT Score Range: 1420- 1580
ACT Score Range: 32 – 35

7.Claremont McKenna College

Claremont McKenna College is a coeducational, private liberal arts college in Claremont, California, United States, with a curricular emphasis on economics, finance, international relations, government, and public affairs. CMC is a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Avg cost after aid: $30,527
SAT Score Range: 1320- 1490
ACT Score Range: 31- 33

6.University of California – Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley is a top-ranked public research university in the United States. Located in the city of Berkeley, it was founded in 1868 and serves as the flagship institution of the ten research universities affiliated with the University of California system.

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Avg cost after aid: $17,160
SAT Score Range: 1270- 1540
ACT Score Range: 31- 34

5.University of California – Los Angeles

The University of California, Los Angeles, is a public research university in the Westwood district of Los Angeles, United States. It became the Southern Branch of the University of California in 1919, making it the second-oldest undergraduate campus of the ten-campus University of California system.

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Avg cost after aid: $14,236
SAT Score Range: 1160- 1470
ACT Score Range: 28- 33

4.University of Southern California

The University of Southern California is a private research university in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 1880, it is the oldest private research university in California. USC has historically educated a large number of the nation’s business leaders and professionals

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Avg cost after aid: $32,932
SAT Score Range: 1280- 1500
ACT Score Range: 30- 33

3.Pomona College

Pomona College is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational, liberal arts college in Claremont, California, United States. It was founded in 1887 by a group of Congregationalists who wanted to recreate a “college of the New England type” on the West Coast.

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Avg cost after aid: $18,140
SAT Score Range: 1340- 1540
ACT Score Range: 31- 34

2.California Institute of Technology

The California Institute of Technology is a private doctorate-granting research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Known for its strength in natural science and engineering, Caltech is often ranked as one of the world’s top-ten universities

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Avg cost after aid: $26,839
SAT Score Range: 1510- 1600
ACT Score Range: 34- 36

1.Stanford University

Stanford University is a private research university in Stanford, California. Stanford is known for its academic strength, wealth, proximity to Silicon Valley, and ranking as one of the world’s top universities.

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Avg cost after aid: $16,695
SAT Score Range: 1380- 1580
ACT Score Range: 31- 35

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