Best small colleges in California
Colleges with fewer than 2,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
63 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.
- Fewer than 2,000 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
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, CA · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in California
- 1,023 undergraduates
- 94% graduate
- 2
Pomona College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,664 undergraduates
- 93% graduate
- 3
Claremont McKenna College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,381 undergraduates
- 91% graduate
- 4
Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 1% for earnings
- 949 undergraduates
- 92% graduate
- 5
Soka University of America
Aliso Viejo, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollTop 4% for graduation
- 464 undergraduates
- 92% graduate
- 6
InterCoast Colleges-West Covina
West Covina, CA · Private for-profitTop 2% for graduation
- 507 undergraduates
- 97% graduate
- 7
Scripps College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 1,082 undergraduates
- 83% graduate
- 8
Pitzer College
Claremont, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 1,204 undergraduates
- 83% graduate
- 9
Angeles College
Los Angeles, CA · Private for-profitTop 4% for graduation
- 484 undergraduates
- 93% graduate
- 10
Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 1,854 undergraduates
- 81% graduate
- 11
Career Networks Institute
Santa Ana, CA · Private for-profitTop 5% for graduation
- 971 undergraduates
- 89% graduate
- 12
- 13
California Northstate University
Elk Grove, CA · Private for-profitTop 1% for graduation
- 71 undergraduates
- 100% graduate
- 14
PCI College
Cerritos, CA · Private for-profitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- 168 undergraduates
- 68% graduate
- 15
Thomas Aquinas College
Santa Paula, CA · Private nonprofitTop 8% for graduation
- 539 undergraduates
- 84% graduate
- 16
California Miramar University
San Diego, CA · Private for-profitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- 105 undergraduates
- 50% graduate
- 17
Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses
Stockton, CA · Private nonprofitTop 5% for low net price
- 183 undergraduates
- 62% graduate
- 18
Dominican University of California
San Rafael, CA · Private nonprofitTop 6% for earnings
- 1,182 undergraduates
- 78% graduate
- 19
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for graduation
- 215 undergraduates
- 74% graduate
- 20
Southern California Institute of Technology
Anaheim, CA · Private for-profitTop 9% for low debt
- 537 undergraduates
- 74% graduate
- 21
Glendale Career College
Glendale, CA · Private for-profitTop 6% for low debt
- 854 undergraduates
- 63% graduate
- 22
Westmont College
Santa Barbara, CA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- 1,310 undergraduates
- 70% graduate
- 23
California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, CA · Private nonprofitExcellent: Compass grade A-
- 918 undergraduates
- 67% graduate
- 24
Southern California Institute of Architecture
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofitTop 13% for earnings
- 239 undergraduates
- 71% graduate
- 25
Casa Loma College-Los Angeles
Sherman Oaks, CA · Private nonprofitTop 16% for graduation
- 581 undergraduates
- 73% graduate
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 10
- Arizona 8
- Arkansas 13
- Colorado 5
- Connecticut 10
- Florida 27
- Georgia 24
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 25
- Indiana 20
- Iowa 23
- Kansas 18
- Kentucky 18
- Louisiana 8
- Maine 11
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 31
- Michigan 23
- Minnesota 19
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 31
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 12
- New Hampshire 7
- New Jersey 18
- New Mexico 7
- New York 55
- North Carolina 34
- North Dakota 4
- Ohio 58
- Oklahoma 11
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 69
- Puerto Rico 31
- South Carolina 19
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 24
- Texas 31
- Utah 7
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 30
- Washington 12
- West Virginia 12
- Wisconsin 15