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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From its campus in the Berkeley Arts District, the California Jazz Conservatory is the only institution of higher education in the United States dedicated entirely to jazz. The conservatory offers a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies with...
Epic Bible College is a Christian institution in Sacramento featuring a Bible-centered curriculum training students for the ministry. Epic offers a bachelor’s degree program in Ministerial Studies with eight theological concentrations and all of the...
Fresno City College is a two-year community college with an open admissions policy. The college is based in Fresno, California, and confers associate degrees and certificates. FCC provides the option for 25 month-programs that come with guaranteed...
Fresno City College is the 2nd oldest community College. Fresno City is a great place to get your general education and transfer AA for those planning to attend a CSU or UC. It is also very economical to do two years at Fresno city as appose to all...
” – Miguel from Fresno, CACoastline Community College is a 2-year institution with three neighborhood campuses in Orange County, California. Coastline is home to 25 degree and certificate-granting academic programs including a Gerontology Program. The college’s Acquired Brain...
i love it there. It's really nice and it feels the comfortable. I like how it's a small school.
” – Crystal from Anaheim, CALos Angeles Pierce College is a 2-year community college. It is a branch of the Los Angeles Community Colleges and, as a result, enjoys transfer agreements with many California universities. The school provides associate’s degrees and Certificates of...
Pierce College deserves a rating of eight out of ten because the college itself does a fantastic job preparing their students for success. It encourages students of all ethnic backgrounds, regardless of their financial status to have the opportunity...
” – Student
Long Beach City College is a 2-year community college in the greater Los Angeles area. LBCC consists of two locations: The Liberal Arts Campus and the Pacific Coast Campus. A member of the California Community Colleges, LBCC is home to 11 academic...
I was planning on going straight to a four year university right after graduating from high school but life had its way (this time) and I, not to happily, applied to go to LBCC. Now a student I can honestly say this school turned my frown upside down...
” – Vanessa from Long Beach, CA
Pasadena City College is a 2-year community college based in Pasadena, California. It operates four satellite campuses, the Northwest campus, Rosemead campus, Foothill campus, and a Child Development Center. PCC has an open admissions policy and a...
After I graduated from High School I knew that going to a community college was my only option. A lot of people told me that it would be High School all over again, and I believed them that were until I finished my first year of college and started...
” – Jeffrey from Arcadia, CA
Founded in 1916, Riverside City College is a 2-year community college in southern California’s Inland Empire. RCC offers associate degrees and certificates in over 70 academic programs. For students who wish to learn in a different culture, RCC...
RCCD is a very good community college. this school is a good way to save money while earning your associates degree or before transferring to university. i am in my second semester of college and so far i feel like i have learned so much. this school...
” – Farryn from Moreno Valley, CA
Located at the south end of San Francisco Bay in Silicon Valley, Northwestern Polytechnic University is a private university. NPU confers bachelor’s and master’s degrees from its schools of business and engineering and its general education courses...
Brandman University is a private institution created to help working adults improve their careers through education. With 25 campuses, some of which are located on military bases, as well as several programs offered entirely online, Brandman...
Brandman caters to the needs of working adults, making a higher eduation attainable for everyone. The programs offered place a lot of demand on students but bring forth a sense of great accomplishment at the end of the day. I enjoyed the option to...
” – Cody from Newport Beach, CACarrington College is a for-profit college of healthcare studies with 19 locations in eight western states. Carrington is home to departments of Nursing, Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, and Criminal Justice offering degrees and certificates...
Allan Hancock College is a public institution operating four locations throughout Santa Barbara County, California, with the main campus in Santa Maria and a satellite at the Vandenberg Air Force Base. AHC offers several resources for degree...
Antelope Valley College is a public college in Lancaster, California. The school confers more than 100 associate degrees and certifications, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Airtime Manufacturing Technology. AVC offers a number of programs for its...
The teachers at Antelope Valley College care about my education and are highly qualified to give it. I may be at a community college, but I still have to work just as hard to earn good grades as any other college student in a University.
” – Someone from Lancaster, CAAntioch University in Los Angeles is a liberal arts college with a focus on social justice and community involvement. AULA confers bachelor’s degrees in 12 fields of study and features nine online degree programs for its enrolled population, which...
This University takes pride in helping students push themselves in all areas of education and public service. The internships opportunities are fantastic and the faculty very supportive. If your looking for a University were one could skate by this...
” – Dar from Playa Vista, CAAntioch University-Santa Barbara is a 4-year liberal arts university and a regional campus in the AU system. The majority of the student population at AUSB are adult learners looking to train for a career change. AUSB offers four bachelor’s degree...
Bakersfield College is a public community college with an open admissions policy. The institution houses the William M. Thomas Planetarium, a 36-foot dome with a Chronos star projector, and the Levan Center, which focuses on research that promotes...
the college serves 15,000 students on the 153-acre main campus in northeast bakersfield, at the weill institute in downtown bakersfield, and at the delano center 35 miles north of bakersfield. classes are offered on a traditional 16-week semester...
” – Student from Bakersfield, CABarstow Community College is a 2-year institution in southern California’s high desert region. BCC confers degrees and certificates in 13 academic departments and 15 career technical education divisions. The college’s career & technical facility...
Berkeley City College is a public, 2-year institution in the Peralta Community College District. BCC offers over 60 degree and certificate programs, with day, evening, online, and weekend classes structured to guarantee that each program can be...
i really like berkeley city college. although it can be crowded, its very organized and visually pleasing.
” – Ala'ah from Richmond, CAButte College is a public, 2-year institution located in Oroville, California. Along with the main campus, which is a designated wildlife refuge, Butte also maintains three education centers in Chico and Orland. In 2011, Butte became the first...
Butte College is extremely welcoming, The staff and professors are always willing to help you with making your community college experience the best.
” – Michelle from Chico, CACabrillo College is a public, 2-year institution established in Aptos, California near Monterey Bay. The campus features a modern Visual, Applied, and Performing Arts Center, which is home to a number of classes, events, and performances throughout...
Beautiful surrounding, people are very nice and welcoming. the campus is only 10 min away from the beach. The campus looks new and has amazing teaches.
” – Marlyn from Royal Oaks, CA