Best mid-size colleges in California
Colleges with 2,000 to 10,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
Best mid-size colleges in California36 schools
36 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.
- 2,000 to 10,000 undergraduate students (federal enrollment).
- 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
Stanford University
Stanford, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 8,054 undergraduates
- 92% graduate
- 2
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- 6,249 undergraduates
- 88% graduate
- 3
- 4
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 9% for earnings
- 7,336 undergraduates
- 79% graduate
- 5
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA · Private nonprofitTop 7% for earnings
- 3,629 undergraduates
- 83% graduate
- 6
University of San Diego
San Diego, CA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- 5,726 undergraduates
- 84% graduate
- 7
Chapman University
Orange, CA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for graduation
- 7,874 undergraduates
- 82% graduate
- 8
Stanbridge University
Irvine, CA · Private for-profitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- 2,373 undergraduates
- 62% graduate
- 9
University of the Pacific
Stockton, CA · Private nonprofitTop 9% for earnings
- 3,297 undergraduates
- 69% graduate
- 10
University of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for earnings
- 5,729 undergraduates
- 70% graduate
- 11
Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego, CA · Private nonprofitTop 12% for graduation
- 3,158 undergraduates
- 77% graduate
- 12
West Coast University-Orange County
Anaheim, CA · Private for-profitTop 2% for earnings
- 3,168 undergraduates
- 60% graduate
- 13
California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, CA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for earnings
- 2,380 undergraduates
- 70% graduate
- 14
Art Center College of Design
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofitTop 11% for graduation
- 2,079 undergraduates
- 79% graduate
- 15
Biola University
La Mirada, CA · Private nonprofitTop 24% for graduation
- 3,395 undergraduates
- 68% graduate
- 16
University of Redlands
Redlands, CA · Private nonprofitTop 12% for earnings
- 2,100 undergraduates
- 67% graduate
- 17
Saint Mary's College of California
Moraga, CA · Private nonprofitTop 8% for earnings
- 2,044 undergraduates
- 70% graduate
- 18
University of California-Merced
Merced, CA · PublicTop 20% for earnings
- 8,372 undergraduates
- 69% graduate
- 19
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, CA · Private nonprofitTop 18% for earnings
- 2,977 undergraduates
- 62% graduate
- 20
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts
San Jose, CA · Private for-profitTop 18% for earnings
- 2,844 undergraduates
- 64% graduate
- 21
- 22
California State University-Stanislaus
Turlock, CA · PublicTop 6% for low net price
- 8,669 undergraduates
- 53% graduate
- 23
California State University-Monterey Bay
Seaside, CA · PublicTop 14% for low debt
- 5,909 undergraduates
- 59% graduate
- 24
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA · PublicTop 18% for earnings
- 5,412 undergraduates
- 58% graduate
- 25
University of La Verne
La Verne, CA · Private nonprofitTop 19% for earnings
- 3,352 undergraduates
- 63% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | $13,807 | $12,000 | $124,080 | 92% |
| Santa Clara University | $50,062 | $19,162 | $109,183 | 88% |
| Unitek College | $25,179 | $10,700 | $79,550 | 73% |
| Loyola Marymount University | $48,381 | $19,500 | $78,349 | 79% |
| Pepperdine University | $58,098 | $23,510 | $82,939 | 83% |
| University of San Diego | $30,365 | $22,940 | $86,522 | 84% |
| Chapman University | $46,555 | $20,500 | $70,070 | 82% |
| Stanbridge University | $45,372 | $20,000 | $62,144 | 62% |
| University of the Pacific | $25,447 | $19,500 | $78,445 | 69% |
| University of San Francisco | $41,431 | $23,000 | $89,812 | 70% |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | $38,729 | $22,990 | $63,998 | 77% |
| West Coast University-Orange County | $32,879 | $32,946 | $102,672 | 60% |
| California Lutheran University | $30,109 | $21,669 | $68,712 | 70% |
| Art Center College of Design | $48,661 | $31,000 | $71,958 | 79% |
| Biola University | $31,495 | $23,875 | $56,778 | 68% |
| University of Redlands | $30,031 | $26,000 | $72,690 | 67% |
| Saint Mary's College of California | $30,378 | $23,691 | $78,812 | 70% |
| University of California-Merced | $11,983 | $16,144 | $64,368 | 69% |
| Azusa Pacific University | $22,212 | $23,219 | $66,677 | 62% |
| Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts | $32,427 | $17,317 | $66,844 | 64% |
| Shasta College | $2,878 | $14,250 | $39,269 | 23% |
| California State University-Stanislaus | $6,067 | $13,540 | $63,188 | 53% |
| California State University-Monterey Bay | $13,663 | $12,750 | $59,247 | 59% |
| Sonoma State University | $12,885 | $16,705 | $65,986 | 58% |
| University of La Verne | $20,161 | $23,500 | $65,464 | 63% |
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 11
- Arkansas 9
- Colorado 15
- Connecticut 14
- District of Columbia 4
- Florida 21
- Georgia 28
- Hawaii 4
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 24
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 5
- Kansas 5
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 12
- Maine 8
- Maryland 9
- Massachusetts 30
- Michigan 13
- Minnesota 18
- Mississippi 5
- Missouri 16
- Nebraska 4
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 14
- New York 61
- North Carolina 12
- North Dakota 4
- Ohio 32
- Oklahoma 9
- Oregon 7
- Pennsylvania 43
- Puerto Rico 20
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 12
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 15
- Texas 35
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 13
- Washington 9
- West Virginia 5
- Wisconsin 18
- Wyoming 3