List of colleges and universities in California facts for kids

This is a list of colleges and universities in California. These are places where students go to learn after high school, often to get a degree like a bachelor's, master's, or even a doctorate. They offer many different subjects to study, from science and math to arts and history.

Federal Schools
- Specialized Schools
State Schools
Private Colleges and Universities
See also

Federal Schools

These schools are run by the United States government. They often focus on special subjects like military studies or languages.

Specialized Schools

Naval Postgraduate School (in Monterey) - This school is for military officers to get advanced degrees.
Defense Language Institute (in Monterey) - Here, people learn many different languages, especially for government jobs.

State Schools

California has a big system of public colleges and universities. These schools are supported by the state government.

Two-Year Colleges

California has many community colleges. These schools offer two-year programs and certificates. They are a great way to start college, learn a trade, or prepare to transfer to a four-year university.

See: List of California Community Colleges

Four-Year Universities

These universities offer bachelor's degrees, which usually take four years to complete.

University of California (UC) System

The University of California system is known for its strong research programs and many different subjects. There are ten main campuses across California.

Name	City	Founded	Students
University of California, Berkeley	Berkeley	1869	45,057
University of California, Davis	Davis	1905	40,031
University of California, Irvine	Irvine	1965	36,505
University of California, Los Angeles	Los Angeles	1882*	47,518
University of California, Merced	Merced	2005	9,093
University of California, Riverside	Riverside	1954	26,434
University of California, San Diego	San Diego	1960	42,875
University of California, Santa Barbara	Santa Barbara	1891**	26,179
University of California, Santa Cruz	Santa Cruz	1965	19,161

University of California, Los Angeles started in 1882 as a teaching school. It became part of the UC system in 1919.
- University of California, Santa Barbara began in 1891 as an independent college. It joined the UC system in 1944.

California State University (CSU) System

The California State University system is the largest four-year public university system in the United States. It focuses on teaching and preparing students for jobs.

Name	City	Founded	Students
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo	San Luis Obispo	1901*	21,812
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt	Arcata	1913	7,774
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona	Pomona	1938**	26,443
California State University, Bakersfield	Bakersfield	1965	10,493
California State University Channel Islands	Camarillo	2002	7,095
California State University, Chico	Chico	1887	17,488
California State University, Dominguez Hills	Carson	1960	15,741
California State University, East Bay	Hayward	1957	14,525
California State University, Fresno	Fresno	1911	24,995
California State University, Fullerton	Fullerton	1957	39,774
California State University, Long Beach	Long Beach	1949	36,846
California State University, Los Angeles	Los Angeles	1947	27,685
California State University Maritime Academy	Vallejo	1929	1,017
California State University, Monterey Bay	Seaside-Marina	1994	7,079
California State University, Northridge	Northridge	1958	38,716
California State University, Sacramento	Sacramento	1947	31,131
California State University, San Bernardino	San Bernardino	1965	19,973
California State University San Marcos	San Marcos	1988	14,511
California State University, Stanislaus	Turlock	1957	10,214
San Diego State University	San Diego	1897	34,881
San Francisco State University	San Francisco	1899	29,586
San Jose State University	San Jose	1857	32,828
Sonoma State University	Rohnert Park	1960	9,201

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo started as a high school for trades. It began giving out bachelor's degrees in 1940.
- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona was once a branch of the San Luis Obispo campus but became its own university in 1966.

State Graduate Schools

These schools focus on advanced degrees after a bachelor's degree.

Name	City	Founded
California State University, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories	Moss Landing	1966
University of California College of the Law, San Francisco	San Francisco	1878
University of California, San Francisco	San Francisco	1899

Private Colleges and Universities

Private colleges and universities are not run by the state or federal government. They often have their own special focus, like arts, business, or religious studies.

Name	City	Founded	Main Focus / Notes
Academy of Art University	San Francisco	1929	Arts & design
Alliant International University	San Diego	1952	Many subjects
American Jewish University	Los Angeles	1947	Jewish studies
Anaheim University	Anaheim	1996	Graduate school
ArtCenter College of Design	Pasadena	1930	Arts & design
Azusa Pacific University	Azusa	1899	Christian university
Biola University	La Mirada	1908	Evangelical Christian
California Baptist University	Riverside	1950	Christian university
California College of the Arts	San Francisco	1907	Arts & design
California Health Sciences University	Clovis	2012	Healthcare
California Institute of Technology	Pasadena	1891	Science & engineering
California Institute of the Arts	Valencia	1961	Arts, music & design
California Lutheran University	Thousand Oaks	1959	Lutheran university
California Miramar University	San Diego	2005	Business
California Southern University	Costa Mesa	1978	Online learning
California University of Management and Sciences	Anaheim	1998	Management & sciences
Chapman University	Orange	1861	Many subjects
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science	Willowbrook	1966	Health sciences
Claremont Graduate University	Claremont	1925	Graduate studies
Claremont McKenna College	Claremont	1946	Arts & sciences
Concordia University Irvine	Irvine	1976	Lutheran university
The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone	St. Helena	1995	Culinary arts
Deep Springs College	Deep Springs	1917	2-year degree
Design Institute of San Diego	San Diego	1977	Interior design
Dharma Realm Buddhist University	Ukiah	1976	Buddhist studies
Dominican University of California	San Rafael	1890	Roman Catholic
Epic Bible College	Sacramento	1974	Christian studies
Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising	Los Angeles	1969	Design
Frederick S. Pardee RAND Graduate School	Santa Monica	1970	Public policy
Fresno Pacific University	Fresno	1944	Christian university
Fuller Theological Seminary	Pasadena	1947	Religious studies
Gateway Seminary	Ontario	1944	Christian studies
Golden Gate University	San Francisco	1901	Many subjects
Graduate Theological Union	Berkeley	1962	Multifaith studies
Gurnick Academy	San Mateo, California	2004	Medical school
Harvey Mudd College	Claremont	1955	Science & engineering
Hope International University	Fullerton	1928	Christian university
Hult International Business School	San Francisco	1964	Business
Humphreys University	Stockton	1896	Many subjects
International Technological University	San Jose	1994	Technology
Institute of Buddhist Studies	Berkeley	1966	Buddhist studies
Jessup University	Rocklin	1939	Evangelical Christian
John Paul the Great Catholic University	Escondido	2003	Roman Catholic
Keck Graduate Institute	Claremont	1997	Graduate studies
La Sierra University	Riverside	1992	Seventh-day Adventist
Laguna College of Art and Design	Laguna Beach	1961	Arts & design
Life Pacific University	San Dimas	1923	Christian university
Lincoln University	Oakland	1926	Business & management
Loma Linda University	Loma Linda	1905	Medical studies
Los Angeles College of Music	Pasadena	1996	Music
Loyola Marymount University	Los Angeles	1911	Roman Catholic
The Master's University	Santa Clarita	1927	Christian university
Menlo College	Atherton	1927	Business & management
Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey	Monterey	1955	International studies
Minerva University	San Francisco	2011	Global studies
Mount St. Mary's University	Los Angeles	1925	Roman Catholic
National University	La Jolla	1971	Many subjects
New York Film Academy	Los Angeles	1992	Film
NewSchool of Architecture and Design	San Diego	1980	Architecture & design
Northwestern Polytechnic University	Fremena	1984	Business & engineering
Notre Dame de Namur University	Belmont	1851	Roman Catholic
Oak Valley College	San Dimas	2016	Business
Occidental College	Los Angeles	1887	Arts & sciences
Otis College of Art and Design	Westchester	1918	Arts & design
Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary	Berkeley	1950	Lutheran studies
Pacific Oaks College	Pasadena	1958	Education, psychology
Pacific School of Religion	Berkeley	1866	Religious studies
Pacific Union College	Angwin	1882	Seventh-day Adventist
Pacifica Graduate Institute	Santa Barbara	1976	Psychology
Palmer College of Chiropractic	San Jose	1980	Chiropractic
Palo Alto University	Palo Alto	1975	Psychology
Pepperdine University	Malibu	1937	Christian university
Pitzer College	Claremont	1963	Arts & sciences
Point Loma Nazarene University	San Diego	1902	Christian university
Pomona College	Claremont	1887	Arts & sciences
Providence Christian College	Pasadena	2002	Christian university
Saint Mary's College of California	Moraga	1863	Roman Catholic
Samuel Merritt University	Oakland	1909	Nursing, health sciences
San Diego Christian College	Santee	1970	Christian university
San Francisco Conservatory of Music	San Francisco	1917	Music
San Joaquin College of Law	Clovis	1969	Law
Santa Clara University	Santa Clara	1851	Roman Catholic
Saybrook University	Oakland	1971	Psychology & health sciences (online)
Scripps College	Claremont	1926	Arts & sciences
Simpson University	Redding	1921	Christian university
Soka University of America	Aliso Viejo	2001	Arts & sciences
Southern California Institute of Architecture	Los Angeles	1972	Architecture
Southwestern Law School	Los Angeles	1972	Law School
Stanford University	Stanford	1891	Many subjects
Starr King School for Ministry	Berkeley	1904	Religious studies
Thomas Aquinas College	Santa Paula	1971	Roman Catholic
Touro University California	Vallejo	1997	Medical studies
Trident University International	Cypress	1998	Online learning
University of Massachusetts Global	Multiple locations	2009	Many subjects
University of Antelope Valley	Lancaster	1997	Many subjects
University of La Verne	La Verne	1891	Many subjects
University of Redlands	Redlands	1907	Many subjects
University of San Diego	San Diego	1949	Roman Catholic
University of San Francisco	San Francisco	1855	Roman Catholic
University of Silicon Valley	Sunnyvale	1887	Technology
University of Southern California	Los Angeles	1880	Many subjects
University of the Pacific	Stockton	1851	Many subjects
University of the People	Pasadena	2009	Online learning
University of the West	Rosemead	1990	Buddhist studies
University of West Los Angeles	Inglewood	1966	Law & business
Vanguard University	Costa Mesa	1920	Christian university
Western Seminary, Sacramento Campus	Sacramento	1927	Christian studies
Western Seminary, San Jose Campus	Santa Clara	1927	Christian studies
Western State College of Law	Fullerton	1966	Law
Western University of Health Sciences	Pomona	1977	Health sciences
Westcliff University	Irvine	1993	Business and education
Westmont College	Montecito	1937	Evangelical Christian
Whittier College	Whittier	1887	Arts & sciences
Woodbury University	Burbank	1884	Many subjects
Zaytuna College	Berkeley	2008	Islamic studies