Best colleges for mathematics in California
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in mathematics, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for mathematics in California65 schools
65 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in California.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in mathematics, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in California
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- 2
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 3
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 4
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade B+ · Top 22%
- 5Tie
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 5Tie
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade B · Top 46%
- 7
University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 8
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade C+
- 9
University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A+ · Top 1%
- 10
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 11
Scripps College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade B · Top 47%
- 12
Pitzer College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade B-
- 13
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA · PublicHonor RollTop 4% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 14
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade B-
- 15
University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A+ · Top 3%
- 16
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA · PublicHonor RollTop 7% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 17
Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade C+
- 18
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 9% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade C+
- 19
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A · Top 5%
- 20
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade C+
- 21
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade B
- 22
Chapman University
Orange, CA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade C+
- 23
University of the Pacific
Stockton, CA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade B+ · Top 25%
- 24
California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA · PublicExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A+ · Top 2%
- 25
University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA · PublicTop 14% for graduation
- Bachelor’s program in mathematics
- Value grade A · Top 7%
Compare cost and outcomes
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 22
- Alaska 3
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 17
- Colorado 16
- Connecticut 21
- District of Columbia 8
- Florida 29
- Georgia 37
- Hawaii 4
- Idaho 7
- Illinois 47
- Indiana 36
- Iowa 25
- Kansas 22
- Kentucky 23
- Louisiana 20
- Maine 9
- Maryland 19
- Massachusetts 43
- Michigan 30
- Minnesota 27
- Mississippi 15
- Missouri 33
- Montana 8
- Nebraska 16
- Nevada 3
- New Hampshire 7
- New Jersey 25
- New Mexico 7
- New York 81
- North Carolina 45
- North Dakota 8
- Ohio 55
- Oklahoma 19
- Oregon 16
- Pennsylvania 77
- Puerto Rico 7
- Rhode Island 6
- South Carolina 28
- South Dakota 10
- Tennessee 34
- Texas 67
- Utah 8
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 38
- Washington 17
- West Virginia 12
- Wisconsin 28