California residents seeking to attend college within a reasonable distance from home have plenty of smart options. Among our list of the top values in private colleges, 16 of them are in California. Click on any school in the map or list below to get more details about its academic quality and affordability.
Private Universities
Stanford University (Stanford)
Rank among all private universities: 7
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Prominent alumni: John Elway, Ted Koppel, Sandra Day O’Connor
California Institute of Technology (Pasadena)
Rank among all private universities: 9
Prominent alumni: Frank Capra, C. Gordon Fullerton, Harrison Schmitt
University of Southern California (Los Angeles)
Rank among all private universities: 29
Prominent alumni: Neil Armstrong, Allyson Felix, Ron Howard
Santa Clara University (Santa Clara)
Rank among all private universities: 39
Prominent alumni: Brendan Eich, Steve Nash, Leon Panetta
Pepperdine University (Malibu)
Rank among all private universities: 43
Prominent alumni: Dennis Johnson, Tia and Tamera Mowry, Bill Weir
Point Loma Nazarene University (San Diego)
Rank among all private universities: 69
Prominent alumni: Doug TenNapel
University of San Diego (San Diego)
Rank among all private universities: 71
Prominent alumni: Shelley Berkley, Mike Brown, Frances Fragos Townsend
Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles)
Rank among all private universities: 94
Prominent alumni: Johnnie Cochran, Clark Duke, Gabriella Gomez
Liberal Arts Colleges
Pomona College (Claremont)
Rank among all liberal-arts colleges: 2
Prominent alumni: William B. Bader, Bill Keller, Kris Kristofferson
Claremont McKenna College (Claremont)
Rank among all liberal-arts colleges: 14
Prominent alumni: William W. Crouch, David Dreier, Henry Kravis
Scripps College (Claremont)
Rank among all liberal-arts colleges: 27
Prominent alumni: Serena Altschul, Gabrielle Giffords, Beth Nolan
Harvey Mudd College (Claremont)
Rank among all liberal-arts colleges: 36
Prominent alumni: Jonathan Gay, Stan Love, Michael G. Wilson
Pitzer College (Claremont)
Rank among all liberal-arts colleges: 39
Prominent alumni: Bridget Baker, David Bloom, Debra Wong Yang
Thomas Aquinas College (Santa Paula)
Rank among all liberal-arts colleges: 41
Prominent alumni: Mary Bridget Neumayr, Karen Walker
Occidental College (Los Angeles)
Rank among all liberal-arts colleges: 57
Prominent alumni: Ben Affleck, Andrea Elliott, Jack Kemp
Westmont College (Santa Barbara)
Rank among all liberal-arts colleges: 83
Prominent alumni: David Batstone, Allen Hopkins
See top values in private universities in New England.