California Colleges
In terms of yearly graduations, California is ranked #1 in the country with 562,028 degrees handed out in 2021. California colleges offer students average in-student tuition of $15,267 per year, while students attending fron out-of-state may pay something more like $19,848 per year.
An estimated 45% of college students in California take out loans, with the average loan amount being $6,756 per year.
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Most Popular Schools in California
Learn more about the most popular schools below:
The total student population at University of Southern California is 46,287, of which 19,786 students are undergraduates and of those, 18,560 are full-time. USC has a freshman retention rate of 96%, which is a good sign that once students arrive at the school, they want to stay.
This a very selective school with only 13% of students getting accepted. Of the accepted students, 48% are men and 52% are women.
Roughly 22% of students at USC take out loans to pay for college. The typical student loan amount is $6,300 a year. The school reports a student loan default rate of 0.5% which is much lower than the average rate of 10.8%!
A typical bachelor’s-degree holder from this school earns an average of $72,478 during the early-career years.
There are 42,327 students at UC Berkeley in total, 30,799 of which are undergraduates, and of those, 29,300 are full-time. It takes the average UC Berkeley undergraduate about 4.2 years to complete their degree.
Only 14% of students who apply get accepted. Of the accepted students, 39% are men and 61% are women.
Approximately 16% of the students who attend this school take out loans. The typical student loan amount is $7,202 a year. The school reports a student loan default rate of 0.5% which is much lower than the average rate of 10.8%!
A typical bachelor’s-degree holder from this school earns an average of $70,777 during the early-career years.
There are 31,636 undergraduates at UCLA, of which 31,068 are full-time, and there are 44,589 students altogether. The average graduation time for an undergraduate student at UCLA is 4.2 years.
This a very selective school with only 11% of students getting accepted. Of the accepted students, 41% are men and 59% are women.
Approximately 12% of the students who attend this school take out loans. The average amount of student loans is $5,965 a year. The school reports a student loan default rate of 0.7% which is much lower than the average rate of 10.8%!
Students who graduate from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree make an average of $57,920 during the early years of their career after graduation.
The total student population at University of California - Irvine is 36,303, of which 29,638 students are undergraduates and of those, 28,990 are full-time. Students tend to stick around at UC Irvine. The freshman retention rate is 93%.
The school doesn’t accept everyone who applies - it has an acceptance rate of 29%. Around 43% of accepted students are men, and 57% are women.
Roughly 19% of students at UC Irvine take out loans to pay for college. The typical student loan amount is $5,258 a year. UC Irvine has a 0.6% student default rate. This is excellent when you compare it to the national rate of 10.8%.
The early-career average earnings of bachelor’s-degree holders from UC Irvine is $55,340.
The total student population at University of California - Davis is 39,074, of which 31,162 students are undergraduates and of those, 30,186 are full-time. The school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 21 to 1.
About 49% of students who apply get accepted. Around 43% of accepted students are men, and 57% are women.
Roughly 23% of students at UC Davis take out loans to pay for college. The average amount of student loans is $5,427 a year. The student loan default rate of 0.9% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
Students who graduate from UC Davis with a bachelor’s degree make an average of $58,578 during the early years of their career after graduation.
The total student population at University of California - San Diego is 39,576, of which 31,842 students are undergraduates and of those, 30,939 are full-time. It takes the average UCSD undergraduate about 4.3 years to complete their degree.
About 34% of students who apply get accepted. Of the accepted students, 44% are men and 56% are women.
Roughly 22% of students at UCSD take out loans to pay for college. The typical student loan amount is $5,933 a year. The student loan default rate of 0.6% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
Students who graduate from UCSD with a bachelor’s degree make an average of $63,281 during the early years of their career after graduation.
There are 36,975 undergraduates at Cal State Fullerton, of which 29,721 are full-time, and there are 42,051 students altogether. The average graduation time for an undergraduate student at Cal State Fullerton is 4.9 years.
The school doesn’t accept everyone who applies - it has an acceptance rate of 59%. Of the accepted students, 38% are men and 62% are women.
17% of Cal State Fullerton students take out loans to afford college costs. The typical student loan amount is $5,004 a year. The student loan default rate of 0.8% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
A typical bachelor’s-degree holder from this school earns an average of $47,742 during the early-career years.
The total student population at California State University - Northridge is 40,381, of which 34,916 students are undergraduates and of those, 29,191 are full-time. For undergraduates at CSUN, the average graduation time is 4.9 years.
Around 88% of students who apply get accepted. Of the accepted students, 43% are men and 57% are women.
Approximately 15% of the students who attend this school take out loans. The average amount of student loans is $5,134 a year. The student loan default rate of 1.7% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
The early-career average earnings of bachelor’s-degree holders from CSUN is $43,782.
There are 40,069 students at CSULB in total, 34,216 of which are undergraduates, and of those, 29,110 are full-time. CSULB has a freshman retention rate of 87%, which is a good sign that once students arrive at the school, they want to stay.
The school doesn’t accept everyone who applies - it has an acceptance rate of 47%. Around 37% of accepted students are men, and 63% are women.
Roughly 19% of students at CSULB take out loans to pay for college. The typical student loan amount is $4,931 a year. The student loan default rate of 0.8% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
Students who graduate from CSULB with a bachelor’s degree make an average of $47,495 during the early years of their career after graduation.
There are 31,491 undergraduates at SDSU, of which 28,084 are full-time, and there are 36,334 students altogether. The freshman retention rate at SDSU is 90%, which is great when compared to the national average of 68%.
About 38% of students who apply get accepted. Around 37% of accepted students are men, and 63% are women.
Roughly 19% of students at SDSU take out loans to pay for college. The typical student loan amount is $6,608 a year. The student loan default rate of 1.1% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
The early-career average earnings of bachelor’s-degree holders from SDSU is $51,614.
The total student population at San Jose State University is 36,208, of which 27,701 students are undergraduates and of those, 23,317 are full-time. Students tend to stick around at San Jose State. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
The school doesn’t accept everyone who applies - it has an acceptance rate of 84%. Around 47% of accepted students are men, and 53% are women.
Approximately 17% of the students who attend this school take out loans. The typical student loan amount is $5,350 a year. San Jose State has a 0.9% student default rate. This is excellent when you compare it to the national rate of 10.8%.
A typical bachelor’s-degree holder from this school earns an average of $60,196 during the early-career years.
There are 25,425 undergraduates at UAGC, of which 25,425 are full-time, and there are 31,115 students altogether. The school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 21 to 1.
Roughly 62% of students at UAGC take out loans to pay for college. The average amount of student loans is $6,400 a year. UAGC has a 3.0% student default rate. This is excellent when you compare it to the national rate of 10.8%.
Students who graduate from UAGC with a bachelor’s degree make an average of $28,257 during the early years of their career after graduation.
The total student population at California State University - Sacramento is 32,293, of which 29,296 students are undergraduates and of those, 24,068 are full-time. The average graduation time for an undergraduate student at Sac State is 5.0 years.
Around 94% of students who apply get accepted. Of the accepted students, 41% are men and 59% are women.
18% of Sac State students take out loans to afford college costs. The average amount of student loans is $4,818 a year. The student loan default rate of 1.7% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
The early-career average earnings of bachelor’s-degree holders from Sac State is $50,076.
The total student population at San Francisco State University is 27,349, of which 24,024 students are undergraduates and of those, 19,847 are full-time. It takes the average SFSU undergraduate about 4.8 years to complete their degree.
Around 93% of students who apply get accepted. Of the accepted students, 39% are men and 61% are women.
Approximately 20% of the students who attend this school take out loans. The typical student loan amount is $5,109 a year. The school reports a student loan default rate of 1.8% which is much lower than the average rate of 10.8%!
A typical bachelor’s-degree holder from this school earns an average of $52,032 during the early-career years.
There are 23,196 undergraduates at UCSB, of which 22,480 are full-time, and there are 26,179 students altogether. UCSB has a freshman retention rate of 91%, which is a good sign that once students arrive at the school, they want to stay.
The school doesn’t accept everyone who applies - it has an acceptance rate of 29%. Of the accepted students, 40% are men and 60% are women.
Approximately 12% of the students who attend this school take out loans. The average amount of student loans is $7,024 a year. The school reports a student loan default rate of 0.5% which is much lower than the average rate of 10.8%!
A typical bachelor’s-degree holder from this school earns an average of $56,827 during the early-career years.
The total student population at Pasadena City College is 25,034, which includes 9,427 full-time undergraduates. The school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 21 to 1.
Pasadena City College has a 1.8% student default rate. This is excellent when you compare it to the national rate of 10.8%.
Students who graduate from Pasadena City College with a bachelor’s degree make an average of $32,385 during the early years of their career after graduation.
There are 26,434 students at UCR in total, 22,693 of which are undergraduates, and of those, 22,056 are full-time. It takes the average UCR undergraduate about 4.3 years to complete their degree.
About 65% of students who apply get accepted. Of the accepted students, 44% are men and 56% are women.
Approximately 29% of the students who attend this school take out loans. The average amount of student loans is $4,974 a year. The student loan default rate of 0.8% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
Students who graduate from UCR with a bachelor’s degree make an average of $48,374 during the early years of their career after graduation.
The total student population at California State University - Los Angeles is 26,745, of which 22,832 students are undergraduates and of those, 19,425 are full-time. The average graduation time for an undergraduate student at Cal State LA is 5.1 years.
Around 91% of students who apply get accepted. Of the accepted students, 39% are men and 61% are women.
Approximately 11% of the students who attend this school take out loans. The typical student loan amount is $4,592 a year. The student loan default rate of 1.7% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
The early-career average earnings of bachelor’s-degree holders from Cal State LA is $43,519.
There are 27,912 undergraduates at Cal Poly Pomona, of which 24,388 are full-time, and there are 30,014 students altogether. The average graduation time for an undergraduate student at Cal Poly Pomona is 4.8 years.
The school doesn’t accept everyone who applies - it has an acceptance rate of 61%. Around 46% of accepted students are men, and 54% are women.
18% of Cal Poly Pomona students take out loans to afford college costs. The typical student loan amount is $5,379 a year. The school reports a student loan default rate of 1.0% which is much lower than the average rate of 10.8%!
A typical bachelor’s-degree holder from this school earns an average of $55,282 during the early-career years.
There are 8,441 undergraduates at National University, of which 3,292 are full-time, and there are 18,070 students altogether. The school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1.
About 55% of students who apply get accepted. Of the accepted students, 48% are men and 52% are women.
The student loan default rate of 1.1% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
A typical bachelor’s-degree holder from this school earns an average of $58,241 during the early-career years.
There are 22,704 undergraduates at Fresno State, of which 19,297 are full-time, and there are 25,497 students altogether. For undergraduates at Fresno State, the average graduation time is 5.0 years.
Around 97% of students who apply get accepted. Around 41% of accepted students are men, and 59% are women.
Roughly 12% of students at Fresno State take out loans to pay for college. The average amount of student loans is $4,809 a year. Fresno State has a 1.7% student default rate. This is excellent when you compare it to the national rate of 10.8%.
The early-career average earnings of bachelor’s-degree holders from Fresno State is $43,589.
There are 17,207 undergraduates at UC Santa Cruz, of which 16,521 are full-time, and there are 19,161 students altogether. Students tend to stick around at UC Santa Cruz. The freshman retention rate is 89%.
About 59% of students who apply get accepted. Around 43% of accepted students are men, and 57% are women.
Approximately 21% of the students who attend this school take out loans. The typical student loan amount is $5,540 a year. The student loan default rate of 1.3% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
The early-career average earnings of bachelor’s-degree holders from UC Santa Cruz is $48,544.
There are 22,440 students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in total, 21,456 of which are undergraduates, and of those, 20,198 are full-time. The school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 21 to 1.
The school doesn’t accept everyone who applies - it has an acceptance rate of 33%. Of the accepted students, 43% are men and 57% are women.
Approximately 25% of the students who attend this school take out loans. The average amount of student loans is $6,032 a year. The student loan default rate of 0.8% means most graduates are not struggling to pay off their loans.
A typical bachelor’s-degree holder from this school earns an average of $71,593 during the early-career years.
There are 13,141 undergraduates at Cal State East Bay, of which 10,473 are full-time, and there are 16,253 students altogether. It takes the average Cal State East Bay undergraduate about 4.9 years to complete their degree.
The school doesn’t accept everyone who applies - it has an acceptance rate of 82%. Around 42% of accepted students are men, and 58% are women.
Approximately 17% of the students who attend this school take out loans. The average amount of student loans is $5,148 a year. The school reports a student loan default rate of 1.3% which is much lower than the average rate of 10.8%!
A typical bachelor’s-degree holder from this school earns an average of $55,576 during the early-career years.
There are 15,953 students at Stanford in total, 6,366 of which are undergraduates, and of those, 5,752 are full-time. The freshman retention rate at Stanford is 98%, which is great when compared to the national average of 68%.
This a very selective school with only 4% of students getting accepted. Around 49% of accepted students are men, and 51% are women.
Roughly 5% of students at Stanford take out loans to pay for college. The average amount of student loans is $8,868 a year. The school reports a student loan default rate of 0.2% which is much lower than the average rate of 10.8%!
Students who graduate from Stanford with a bachelor’s degree make an average of $91,546 during the early years of their career after graduation.
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