Best Education Colleges in California2026 Rankings
With 73 Education programs spread across California, narrowing your list takes real data. Our algorithm ranks each school on six factors — admission rate, graduation rate, net price, median graduate earnings, student-faculty ratio, and major breadth — so you can compare apples to apples before you apply.
California offers 12 public and 18 private Education programs in this ranking. Public universities average $35,414 for in-state students, making them a strong value option. The most competitive school on the list — University of California-Los Angeles — accepts 9% of applicants. Early-career earnings for Education graduates average $37,931, with a state-wide graduation rate of 73% for ranked programs.
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| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern CaliforniaPrivate | Excellent· 45 | 10% | 92% | $18,993 | $63,275 | 9:1 | 83 | 20,817 |
| 2 | Occidental CollegePrivate | Excellent· 44 | 40% | 85% | $17,577 | $37,306 | 9:1 | 31 | 1,844 |
| 3 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoPublic | Excellent· 43 | 30% | 85% | $11,372 | $22,293 | 18:1 | 78 | 21,521 |
| 4 | University of San DiegoPrivate | Great· 41 | 47% | 82% | $19,998 | $55,049 | 14:1 | 43 | 5,619 |
| 5 | University of California-San DiegoPublic | Great· 41 | 25% | 88% | $10,389 | $44,612 | 19:1 | 71 | 33,787 |
| 6 | University of California-DavisPublic | Great· 41 | 42% | 85% | $12,304 | $41,123 | 21:1 | 91 | 31,777 |
| 7 | University of California-Los AngelesPublic | Great· 40 | 9% | 93% | $11,065 | $41,763 | 18:1 | 75 | 33,040 |
| 8 | University of California-IrvinePublic | Great· 40 | 26% | 86% | $11,769 | $26,106 | 18:1 | 71 | 29,494 |
| 9 | Pitzer CollegePrivate | Great· 40 | 17% | 83% | $17,911 | $33,658 | 10:1 | 62 | 1,191 |
| 10 | Fresno Pacific UniversityPrivate | Great· 39 | 58% | 56% | $11,116 | $42,313 | 8:1 | 62 | 1,614 |
| 11 | California State University-Long BeachPublic | Great· 38 | 47% | 70% | $9,063 | $38,082 | 19:1 | 84 | 34,131 |
| 12 | University of California-RiversidePublic | Great· 38 | 63% | 77% | $12,449 | $23,447 | 23:1 | 60 | 22,644 |
| 13 | University of RedlandsPrivate | Strong· 37 | 81% | 71% | $20,649 | $51,944 | 11:1 | 38 | 2,095 |
| 14 | University of California-Santa CruzPublic | Strong· 37 | 63% | 74% | $13,001 | $37,107 | 22:1 | 56 | 17,812 |
| 15 | Pacific Union CollegePrivate | Strong· 37 | 42% | 51% | $18,211 | $62,855 | 11:1 | 41 | 910 |
| 16 | Pepperdine UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 50% | 85% | $40,201 | $49,653 | 13:1 | 43 | 3,629 |
| 17 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 56% | 80% | $39,414 | $37,928 | 12:1 | 54 | 7,629 |
| 18 | San Diego State UniversityPublic | Strong· 36 | 34% | 78% | $14,205 | $28,793 | 22:1 | 79 | 33,654 |
| 19 | William Jessup UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 77% | 61% | $18,555 | $44,985 | 9:1 | 28 | 1,021 |
| 20 | Concordia University-IrvinePrivate | Strong· 36 | 60% | 63% | $25,220 | $24,522 | 13:1 | 27 | 1,456 |
| 21 | Westmont CollegePrivate | Strong· 36 | 80% | 70% | $24,081 | $27,708 | 10:1 | 28 | 1,310 |
| 22 | Mount Saint Mary's UniversityPrivate | Strong· 35 | 69% | 53% | $25,413 | $62,833 | 11:1 | 52 | 1,746 |
| 23 | Vanguard University of Southern CaliforniaPrivate | Strong· 35 | 65% | 56% | $17,411 | $69,240 | 16:1 | 27 | 1,975 |
| 24 | California Lutheran UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 89% | 74% | $23,759 | $33,818 | 13:1 | 38 | 2,374 |
| 25 | San Jose State UniversityPublic | Strong· 34 | 80% | 65% | $12,948 | $58,993 | 18:1 | 90 | 26,757 |
| 26 | Biola UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 60% | 69% | $25,038 | $36,740 | 14:1 | 48 | 3,390 |
| 27 | Azusa Pacific UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 79% | 64% | $20,848 | $50,824 | 10:1 | 48 | 2,977 |
| 28 | University of San FranciscoPrivate | Good· 33 | 51% | 71% | $34,211 | $26,496 | 12:1 | 44 | 5,697 |
| 29 | California State University-Dominguez HillsPublic | Good· 33 | 91% | 47% | $4,942 | $29,840 | 18:1 | 59 | 12,642 |
| 30 | California State Polytechnic University-PomonaPublic | Good· 33 | 74% | 67% | $11,196 | $40,884 | 23:1 | 60 | 24,271 |