(FOX 5/KUSI) — Several colleges in California have landed on the latest edition of the “Best Colleges” list, according to U.S. News & World Report.
The “2026 Best Colleges” list, released on Tuesday, includes 32 institutions in the Golden State with a mix of small liberal arts colleges and large research universities.
The colleges in California that made the national list are the following:
| Ranking | Name of Institution |
| #4 | Stanford University |
| #11 | California Institute of Technology |
| #15 | University of California, Berkeley |
| #17 | University of California, Los Angeles |
| #28 | University of Southern California |
| #29 | University of California, San Diego |
| #32 | University of California, Davis |
| #32 | University of California, Irvine |
| #40 | University of California, Santa Barbara |
| #57 | University of California, Merced |
| #59 | Santa Clara University |
| #75 | University of California, Riverside |
| #84 | Pepperdine University |
| #88 | University of California, Santa Cruz |
| #102 | Loyola Marymount University |
| #110 | Chapman University |
| #110 | University of San Diego |
| #110 | University of San Francisco |
| #117 | San Diego State University |
| #127 | California State University, Long Beach |
| #139 | California State University – Fullerton |
| #139 | University of the Pacific |
| #179 | California State University – San Bernardino |
| #183 | California State University – Fresno |
| #208 | San Francisco State University |
| #213 | University of La Verne |
| #242 | Biola University |
| #257 | California State University – East Bay |
| #273 | The Master’s University and Seminary |
| #283 | Azusa Pacific University |
| #318 | Concordia University Irvine |
The rankings were out of 434 universities and colleges nationwide.
The data was collected using a rigorous methodology that evaluates more than 1,700 U.S. colleges and universities with up to 17 factors, according to U.S. News & World Report.
To be eligible for the directory, the institutions must grant bachelor’s degrees, hold regional accreditation, offer traditional campus-based education and actively accept new applicants for first-year, full-time students.
Visit the U.S. News & World Report’s website for the full summary of how the college rankings were calculated.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
