California Colleges with high acceptance rates

Colleges with the Highest Acceptance Rate in California for 2025

These are the least selective public and private four-year colleges in California. These colleges historically accept more than seventy-five percent of students who apply for admission and are ranked by acceptance rate. These are good safety schools for your college list and you should have a good chance on getting in if your grades and test scores are above or within their typical admission thresholds. Just because a school is less selective doesn't mean it's a lesser school academically and easy to get into for all students. Unless a college has guaranteed admission or accepts 100% of applicants, you still need sufficient grades to be accepted.

Use the filters on this page to narrow down the list based on your high school GPA, SAT and ACT scores. Once you do, your estimated admission chance will be displayed for each school. Additionally, you can filter the list by state, region or distance from your home to narrow down the list of colleges that are easiest for you to get into.

See also, the best and popular California colleges with high acceptance rates. If you're looking for colleges that have easy admission requirements, explore rankings of California colleges with the lowest SAT scores, lowest ACT scores and lowest GPA's.
California High Acceptance % Public Private 4 year

84 results

University of the Pacific
Connect Me
T
Stockton, CA

University of the Pacific

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

95% Acceptance Rate

#14 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 6,755enrollment
  • $30,975net price
  • 1160-1420SAT range
  • 23-31ACT range
  • 3.58Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Compare Calculate my chances 
Sonoma State University
Connect Me
S
Rohnert Park, CA

Sonoma State University

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

95% Acceptance Rate

#15 Best Public Universities in California

  • 5,990enrollment
  • $15,113net price
  • 950-1150SAT range
  • 17-23ACT range
  • 3.4Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
California State University Monterey Bay
Connect Me
C
Seaside, CA

California State University Monterey Bay

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

95% Acceptance Rate

#21 Best Public Universities in California

  • 6,742enrollment
  • $15,222net price
  • 960-1160SAT range
  • 17-23ACT range
  • 3.45Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Compare Calculate my chances 
California State University Chico
Connect Me
C
Chico, CA

California State University Chico

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

94% Acceptance Rate

#16 Best Public Universities in California

  • 14,523enrollment
  • $15,187net price
  • 970-1170SAT range
  • 18-24ACT range
  • 3.37Avg GPA

Applications Due Dec 15

Compare Calculate my chances 
California State University Sacramento
Connect Me
C
Sacramento, CA

California State University Sacramento

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

94% Acceptance Rate

#22 Best Public Universities in California

  • 31,172enrollment
  • $11,183net price
  • 930-1130SAT range
  • 17-23ACT range
  • 3.42Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances 
Life Pacific College
Connect Me
L
San Dimas, CA

Life Pacific College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

94% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 504enrollment
  • $23,311net price
  • 930-1085SAT range
  • 16-25ACT range
  • 2.91Avg GPA

Applications Due May 1

Compare Calculate my chances 
California State University Northridge
Connect Me
C
Northridge, CA

California State University Northridge

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

93% Acceptance Rate

#24 Best Public Universities in California

  • 37,760enrollment
  • $8,222net price
  • 900-1110SAT range
  • 16-22ACT range
  • 3.38Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances 
La Sierra University
Connect Me
L
Riverside, CA
 

La Sierra University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

93% Acceptance Rate

#29 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 1,611enrollment
  • $28,076net price
  • 880-1140SAT range
  • 18-28ACT range
  • 3.54Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
California State University Channel Islands
Connect Me
C
Camarillo, CA

California State University Channel Islands

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

93% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 5,688enrollment
  • $10,931net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.22Avg GPA

Applications Due Jul 30

Compare Calculate my chances 
Providence Christian College
Connect Me
P
Pasadena, CA
 

Providence Christian College

Private 4 Year

2 reviews

93% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 147enrollment
  • $25,354net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.5Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
California State University Los Angeles
Connect Me
C
Los Angeles, CA

California State University Los Angeles

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

92% Acceptance Rate

#26 Best Public Universities in California

  • 25,080enrollment
  • $4,551net price
  • 870-1060SAT range
  • 15-20ACT range
  • 3.31Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 19

Compare Calculate my chances 
California State University Dominguez Hills
Connect Me
C
Carson, CA

California State University Dominguez Hills

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

91% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 15,181enrollment
  • $4,438net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.16Avg GPA

Applications Due Dec 4

Compare Calculate my chances 
California Lutheran University
Connect Me
C
Thousand Oaks, CA

California Lutheran University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

89% Acceptance Rate

#21 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 3,413enrollment
  • $27,080net price
  • 1134-1320SAT range
  • 23-29ACT range
  • 3.73Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Compare Calculate my chances 
Saint Marys College of California
Connect Me
S
Moraga, CA

Saint Marys College of California

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

89% Acceptance Rate

#19 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 2,775enrollment
  • $31,615net price
  • 1070-1253SAT range
  • 21-28ACT range
  • 3.6Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Compare Calculate my chances 
California State University Bakersfield
Connect Me
C
Bakersfield, CA

California State University Bakersfield

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

88% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 9,787enrollment
  • $6,567net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Dec 15

Compare Calculate my chances 
California State University Fullerton
Connect Me
C
Fullerton, CA

California State University Fullerton

Public 4 Year

1 reviews

87% Acceptance Rate

#18 Best Public Universities in California

  • 41,962enrollment
  • $6,283net price
  • 1000-1180SAT range
  • 18-23ACT range
  • 3.77Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances 
Whittier College
Connect Me
W
Whittier, CA

Whittier College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

85% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 859enrollment
  • $32,436net price
  • 1140-1340SAT range
  • 24-30ACT range
  • 3.61Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Otis College of Art and Design
Connect Me
O
Los Angeles, CA

Otis College of Art and Design

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

84% Acceptance Rate

#22 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 1,284enrollment
  • $49,440net price
  • 1130-1360SAT range
  • 20-29ACT range
  • 3.31Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances