Hidden Gem Colleges in California (2026)
Updated
This page lists 35 colleges in California. This list includes only colleges whose overall score is at or above the 50th percentile nationally and whose admission rate is above 50%; colleges without a reported admission rate are left out.
The colleges that qualify are ordered by overall score, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. California State University-Los Angeles ranks 1st on this list, with $59,756 in median earnings for its graduates four years after completing. The group includes 23 public and 12 private nonprofit institutions.
The list includes 23 public and 12 private nonprofit institutions, a 66% public share. University of San Diego reports the highest six-year completion rate, graduating 84% of its students within six years.
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt admits 98% of applicants, the highest admission rate in the group.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $59,756 | $3,967 | $2,877 | 91.3% |
| California State University-Los Angeles reports median earnings of $59,756 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $3,967. | |||||
| 2 | California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA | $63,753 | $6,555 | $3,315 | 90.5% |
| Graduates of California State University-Fullerton earn a median of $63,753 four years after completing, and the school admits 91% of applicants. | |||||
| 3 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $59,664 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
| California State University-Northridge has a six-year completion rate of 57% and an average net price of $4,905 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 4 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $64,511 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
| With median earnings of $64,511 for its graduates four years after completing, California State University-Sacramento ranks 4th on this list. | |||||
| 5 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $71,138 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
| An admission rate of 75% coincides with median earnings of $71,138 for graduates of California State Polytechnic University-Pomona four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | San Jose State University · San Jose, CA | $89,614 | $13,760 | $9,730 | 84.6% |
| San Jose State University graduates earn a median of $89,614 four years after completing, and the school's six-year completion rate is 69%. | |||||
| 7 | California State University-Fresno · Fresno, CA | $59,992 | $7,000 | $5,105 | 95.3% |
| California State University-Fresno admits 95% of applicants and reports an average net price of $5,105 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 8 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $64,926 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
| A six-year completion rate of 76% and median earnings of $64,926 for its graduates four years after completing are reported by University of California-Riverside. | |||||
| 9 | California State University-San Bernardino · San Bernardino, CA | $55,441 | $4,564 | $2,681 | 93.7% |
| California State University-San Bernardino reports an average net price of $4,564 and median earnings of $55,441 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | California State University-Dominguez Hills · Carson, CA | $58,922 | $8,615 | $7,303 | 93.3% |
| Ranking 10th on this list, California State University-Dominguez Hills posts a six-year completion rate of 43%. | |||||
| 11 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $67,804 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
| San Francisco State University admits 96% of applicants and reports median earnings of $67,804 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | California State University-San Marcos · San Marcos, CA | $67,891 | $10,229 | $6,230 | 95.1% |
| Median earnings of $67,891 for its graduates four years after completing are posted by California State University-San Marcos, alongside an average net price of $6,230 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 13 | California State University-East Bay · Hayward, CA | $72,596 | $9,320 | $6,360 | 97.4% |
| California State University-East Bay reports median earnings of $72,596 for its graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $9,320. | |||||
| 14 | California State University-Stanislaus · Turlock, CA | $58,952 | $6,067 | $3,938 | 98.1% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 53%, California State University-Stanislaus admits 98% of applicants and ranks 14th on this list. | |||||
| 15 | California State University-Bakersfield · Bakersfield, CA | $59,109 | $5,652 | $3,536 | 93.9% |
| California State University-Bakersfield posts an average net price of $5,652 and median earnings of $59,109 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $65,228 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% |
| Ranking 91st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, California State University-Chico reports median earnings of $65,228 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 17 | University of California-Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz, CA | $67,085 | $17,890 | $8,717 | 65.8% |
| University of California-Santa Cruz admits 66% of applicants and reports a six-year completion rate of 75%. | |||||
| 18 | University of California-Merced · Merced, CA | $65,410 | $11,983 | $7,945 | 90.5% |
| Graduates of University of California-Merced earn a median of $65,410 four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $11,983. | |||||
| 19 | California State University-Monterey Bay · Seaside, CA | $62,324 | $13,663 | $9,970 | 97.4% |
| California State University-Monterey Bay ranks 19th on this list, with an admission rate of 97% and median earnings of $62,324 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 20 | California State University-Channel Islands · Camarillo, CA | $59,304 | $9,849 | $6,857 | 94.8% |
| A six-year completion rate of 51% and an average net price of $9,849 are reported by California State University-Channel Islands. | |||||
| 21 | Mount Saint Mary's University · Los Angeles, CA | $79,546 | $21,413 | $23,849 | 73.1% |
| Mount Saint Mary's University, a private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, reports median earnings of $79,546 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 22 | Sonoma State University · Rohnert Park, CA | $65,997 | $12,885 | $8,310 | 93.4% |
| Sonoma State University admits 93% of applicants and its graduates earn a median of $65,997 four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | University of the Pacific · Stockton, CA | $81,820 | $25,447 | $17,004 | 71.3% |
| University of the Pacific ranks 201st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a six-year completion rate of 69%. | |||||
| 24 | Cal Poly Maritime Academy · Vallejo, CA | $108,757 | $20,555 | $13,552 | 95.0% |
| Graduates of Cal Poly Maritime Academy earn a median of $108,757 four years after completing, and the school admits 95% of applicants. | |||||
| 25 | University of San Francisco · San Francisco, CA | $91,483 | $41,431 | $31,537 | 61.7% |
| University of San Francisco reports median earnings of $91,483 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 62%. | |||||
| 26 | Dominican University of California · San Rafael, CA | $95,437 | $35,333 | $24,572 | 83.5% |
| An average net price of $24,572 for families earning under $30,000 is posted by Dominican University of California, which ranks 26th on this list. | |||||
| 27 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA | $51,571 | $13,171 | $8,483 | 98.2% |
| California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt admits 98% of applicants and shows a six-year completion rate of 49%. | |||||
| 28 | Fresno Pacific University · Fresno, CA | $63,285 | $13,630 | $11,133 | 64.1% |
| Graduates across all fields from Fresno Pacific University earn a median of $63,285 four years after completing, and the school's average net price is $13,630. | |||||
| 29 | California Baptist University · Riverside, CA | $68,600 | $26,285 | $22,298 | 84.9% |
| California Baptist University ranks 432nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with a six-year completion rate of 62%. | |||||
| 30 | University of San Diego · San Diego, CA | $85,309 | $30,365 | $15,586 | 52.4% |
| With an admission rate of 52%, University of San Diego is the most selective school on the page and reports median earnings of $85,309 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 31 | University of La Verne · La Verne, CA | $64,109 | $20,161 | $20,151 | 71.2% |
| University of La Verne posts an average net price of $20,161 and a six-year completion rate of 63%. | |||||
| 32 | Azusa Pacific University · Azusa, CA | $71,925 | $22,212 | $15,781 | 88.4% |
| An average net price of $15,781 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $71,925 for graduates of Azusa Pacific University four years after completing. | |||||
| 33 | Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical Seminary · Los Angeles, CA | $36,185 | $14,959 | $14,300 | 58.2% |
| Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical Seminary ranks 643rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and admits 58% of applicants. | |||||
| 34 | University of Redlands · Redlands, CA | $75,863 | $30,031 | $28,287 | 82.7% |
| University of Redlands reports median earnings of $75,863 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 67%. | |||||
| 35 | Vanguard University of Southern California · Costa Mesa, CA | $65,874 | $21,241 | $17,225 | 62.4% |
| The admission rate at Vanguard University of Southern California is 62%, and its graduates across all fields earn a median of $65,874 four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
This list includes only colleges whose overall score is at or above the 50th percentile nationally and whose admission rate is above 50%; colleges without a reported admission rate are left out. The colleges that qualify are ordered by overall score, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The overall score is based on median earnings of each institution's federally aided completers across all fields, measured four years after completing, among those working and not enrolled. The list does not measure fit or teaching quality. The page includes 23 public and 12 private nonprofit colleges.