The Best Value California Colleges

Best Value Colleges in California for 2022

Explore the colleges that provide the best value for your money in California based on academic quality, outcomes, net price and financial aid. The rankings are calculated using ratings from the 2022 CollegeSimply Best Colleges ranking but additionally factors in the typical price paid by students to identify the colleges that offer the best deals. Leading the list for 2022 as the overall best value college in California is Stanford University. The highest value public state college is University of California Irvine. Learn how the Best Value Colleges are calculated and ranked on our methodology page.
California Public Private 4 year

51 results

Stanford University
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S
Stanford, CA
Stanford University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

#1 Best Value in California

  • 15,953enrollment
  • $20,023net price
  • 5%acceptance rate
  • 1420-1570SAT range
  • 31-35ACT range
  • 3.96Avg GPA
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Claremont McKenna College
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C
Claremont, CA
Claremont McKenna College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#2 Best Value in California

  • 1,264enrollment
  • $22,004net price
  • 13%acceptance rate
  • 1330-1500SAT range
  • 31-34ACT range
  • 3.89Estimated Avg GPA
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California Institute of Technology
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C
Pasadena, CA
California Institute of Technology

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

#3 Best Value in California

  • 2,240enrollment
  • $26,591net price
  • 7%acceptance rate
  • 1530-1580SAT range
  • 35-36ACT range
  • 3.97Estimated Avg GPA
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University of California Irvine
C
Irvine, CA
University of California Irvine

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

#4 Best Value in California

  • 36,303enrollment
  • $13,106net price
  • 30%acceptance rate
  • 1230-1430SAT range
  • 26-33ACT range
  • 3.75Estimated Avg Weighted GPA
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University of California San Diego
C
La Jolla, CA
University of California San Diego

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

#5 Best Value in California

  • 39,576enrollment
  • $15,222net price
  • 37%acceptance rate
  • 1270-1480SAT range
  • 28-34ACT range
  • 4.09Avg Weighted GPA
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University of California Davis
C
Davis, CA
University of California Davis

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

#6 Best Value in California

  • 39,074enrollment
  • $17,026net price
  • 46%acceptance rate
  • 1160-1400SAT range
  • 25-33ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA
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University of California Santa Barbara
C
Santa Barbara, CA
University of California Santa Barbara

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

#7 Best Value in California

  • 26,179enrollment
  • $17,223net price
  • 37%acceptance rate
  • 1230-1460SAT range
  • 28-34ACT range
  • 4.17Avg Weighted GPA
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University of California Berkeley
C
Berkeley, CA
University of California Berkeley

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

#8 Best Value in California

  • 42,327enrollment
  • $19,329net price
  • 17%acceptance rate
  • 1310-1530SAT range
  • 30-35ACT range
  • 3.86Avg GPA
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University of Southern California
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S
Los Angeles, CA
University of Southern California

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

#9 Best Value in California

  • 46,287enrollment
  • $39,759net price
  • 16%acceptance rate
  • 1340-1530SAT range
  • 30-34ACT range
  • 3.83Avg GPA
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University of California Riverside
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C
Riverside, CA
University of California Riverside

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

#10 Best Value in California

  • 26,434enrollment
  • $11,948net price
  • 66%acceptance rate
  • 1080-1280SAT range
  • 22-31ACT range
  • 3.8Avg GPA
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Westmont College
W
Santa Barbara, CA
 
Westmont College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#11 Best Value in California

  • 1,226enrollment
  • $32,418net price
  • 70%acceptance rate
  • 1110-1370SAT range
  • 24-31ACT range
  • 3.65Avg GPA
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Occidental College
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O
Los Angeles, CA
Occidental College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

#12 Best Value in California

  • 1,839enrollment
  • $41,102net price
  • 41%acceptance rate
  • 1270-1460SAT range
  • 28-33ACT range
  • 3.62Avg GPA
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University of the Pacific
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t
Stockton, CA
University of the Pacific

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

#13 Best Value in California

  • 6,263enrollment
  • $32,780net price
  • 71%acceptance rate
  • 1080-1340SAT range
  • 22-30ACT range
  • 3.55Avg GPA
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University of Redlands
R
Redlands, CA
University of Redlands

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#14 Best Value in California

  • 4,566enrollment
  • $30,240net price
  • 69%acceptance rate
  • 1030-1250SAT range
  • 16-28ACT range
  • 3.65Avg GPA
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University of California Santa Cruz
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C
Santa Cruz, CA
University of California Santa Cruz

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

#15 Best Value in California

  • 19,161enrollment
  • $17,842net price
  • 65%acceptance rate
  • 1160-1360SAT range
  • 25-33ACT range
  • 3.51Avg GPA
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California State University Long Beach
C
Long Beach, CA
California State University Long Beach

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

#16 Best Value in California

  • 40,069enrollment
  • $10,568net price
  • 42%acceptance rate
  • 1020-1240SAT range
  • 20-26ACT range
  • 3.68Avg Weighted GPA
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California Lutheran University
C
Thousand Oaks, CA
California Lutheran University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

#17 Best Value in California

  • 4,027enrollment
  • $29,669net price
  • 74%acceptance rate
  • 1070-1240SAT range
  • 20-27ACT range
  • 3.73Avg GPA
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Chapman University
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C
Orange, CA
Chapman University

Private 4 Year

4 reviews

#18 Best Value in California

  • 9,761enrollment
  • $44,327net price
  • 58%acceptance rate
  • 1170-1350SAT range
  • 25-30ACT range
  • 3.8Avg Weighted GPA
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