2026 Best Genetics Schools in California
Genetics degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best genetics schools.
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Best Schools for Genetics in California
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the genetics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Genetics
Our analysis ranked Stanford University the best school in the country for a degree in genetics. Located in the suburb of Stanford, Stanford University is a very large private not-for-profit university. Roughly 92% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 23 genetics degrees were awarded at Stanford University in the most recent year. Graduates of the genetics program make about $100,827 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $10,492.
See the full genetics program report for Stanford University
University Of California Davis is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in genetics, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Davis, University Of California Davis is a very large public university. Roughly 86% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 96 genetics students who graduated with this degree at University Of California Davis in the most recent data year. Genetics graduates of University Of California Davis earn a median of $41,334 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $14,293.
Get the full genetics details for University Of California Davis
University Of California Irvine is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in genetics, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of California Irvine is a very large public school located in the city of Irvine. University Of California Irvine graduates 87% of students within six years. University Of California Irvine awarded about 11 genetics degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the genetics program make about $50,958 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $16,539.
Get the full genetics details for University Of California Irvine
Students looking for a strong genetics program will find one at Southern California University Of Health Sciences, which ranked #4. Southern California University Of Health Sciences is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Whittier. Southern California University Of Health Sciences awarded about 54 genetics degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their genetics degree from Southern California University Of Health Sciences earn around $48,442 in the first couple years of their career. Southern California University Of Health Sciences graduates carry a median of $20,378 in student loans.
More information about a degree in genetics from Southern California University Of Health Sciences
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 9 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
