California Colleges with low acceptance rates

Colleges with the Lowest Acceptance Rate in California for 2024

These are the most selective public and private four-year colleges in California. The list is ranked by acceptance rate, lowest to highest and limited to schools which reject at least half of all applicants. Leading the list is Minerva University which sent acceptance letters to only 1% of the 20,816 students who applied and rejected 99%.

Not all schools on the most selective list are overly academically challenging. Some schools with less rigorous test and high school GPA requirements may receive a large numbers of qualified applicants and the school does not have space to admit them all.

If you're looking for challenging colleges, explore rankings of California colleges with the highest SAT scores, highest ACT scores and highest GPA's.
California Low Acceptance % Public Private 4 year

30 results

Minerva University
Connect Me
M
San Francisco, California
 

Minerva University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

1% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 660enrollment
  • $15,215net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
California Institute of Technology
Connect Me
C
Pasadena, CA

California Institute of Technology

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

3% Acceptance Rate

#5 Best Colleges in America

  • 2,401enrollment
  • $20,755net price
  • 1530-1580SAT range
  • 35-36ACT range
  • 3.97Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 3

Compare Calculate my chances 
Stanford University
Connect Me
S
Stanford, CA

Stanford University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

4% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Colleges in America

  • 18,283enrollment
  • $18,279net price
  • 1500-1580SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.96Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 2

Compare Calculate my chances 
Pomona College
Connect Me
P
Claremont, CA

Pomona College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

7% Acceptance Rate

#21 Best Colleges in America

  • 1,716enrollment
  • $19,962net price
  • 1480-1560SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.89Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 8

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

University of California Los Angeles

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

9% Acceptance Rate

#2 Best Public Universities in America

  • 46,430enrollment
  • $16,999net price
  • 1300-1530SAT range
  • 29-35ACT range
  • 3.92Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances 
Claremont McKenna College
Connect Me
C
Claremont, CA

Claremont McKenna College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

10% Acceptance Rate

#18 Best Colleges in America

  • 1,389enrollment
  • $28,701net price
  • 1440-1550SAT range
  • 33-35ACT range
  • 3.89Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

Compare Calculate my chances 
University of California Berkeley
Connect Me
C
Berkeley, CA

University of California Berkeley

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

11% Acceptance Rate

#5 Best Public Universities in America

  • 45,307enrollment
  • $19,257net price
  • 1310-1530SAT range
  • 30-35ACT range
  • 3.87Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances 
University of Southern California
Connect Me
S
Los Angeles, CA

University of Southern California

Private 4 Year

5 reviews

12% Acceptance Rate

#5 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 48,945enrollment
  • $36,808net price
  • 1450-1550SAT range
  • 32-35ACT range
  • 3.83Avg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances 
Harvey Mudd College
Connect Me
H
Claremont, CA

Harvey Mudd College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

13% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 922enrollment
  • $39,850net price
  • 1480-1560SAT range
  • 34-36ACT range
  • 3.96Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

Compare Calculate my chances 
Pitzer College
Connect Me
P
Claremont, CA

Pitzer College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

18% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,212enrollment
  • $39,809net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.93Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 1

Compare Calculate my chances 
University of California Irvine
Connect Me
C
Irvine, CA

University of California Irvine

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

21% Acceptance Rate

#10 Best Public Universities in America

  • 35,937enrollment
  • $14,033net price
  • 1230-1430SAT range
  • 26-33ACT range
  • 3.75Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances 
University of California San Diego
Connect Me
C
La Jolla, CA

University of California San Diego

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

24% Acceptance Rate

#9 Best Public Universities in America

  • 42,006enrollment
  • $16,111net price
  • 1270-1480SAT range
  • 28-34ACT range
  • 3.82Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances 
California Institute of the Arts
Connect Me
C
Valencia, CA

California Institute of the Arts

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

25% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 1,440enrollment
  • $55,225net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Jan 5

Compare Calculate my chances 
University of California Santa Barbara
Connect Me
C
Santa Barbara, CA

University of California Santa Barbara

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

26% Acceptance Rate

#19 Best Public Universities in America

  • 26,420enrollment
  • $16,874net price
  • 1230-1460SAT range
  • 28-34ACT range
  • 3.82Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances 
Scripps College
Connect Me
S
Claremont, CA

Scripps College

Private 4 Year

1 reviews

28% Acceptance Rate

#6 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 1,099enrollment
  • $43,923net price
  • 1390-1510SAT range
  • 32-34ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

Compare Calculate my chances 
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo
Connect Me
C
San Luis Obispo, CA

California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

Public 4 Year

2 reviews

30% Acceptance Rate

#7 Best Public Universities in California

  • 22,000enrollment
  • $19,184net price
  • 1220-1410SAT range
  • 26-32ACT range
  • 4.0Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

Compare Calculate my chances 
Hope International University
Connect Me
H
Fullerton, CA

Hope International University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

32% Acceptance Rate

#32 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 1,116enrollment
  • $26,146net price
  • 1000-1180SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 3.26Avg GPA

Applications Due Aug 20

Compare Calculate my chances 
Pacific States University
Connect Me
P
Los Angeles, CA
 

Pacific States University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

33% Acceptance Rate

 

  • 17enrollment
  • -net price
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Compare Calculate my chances