2026 Best Best Schools in California
Best programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. The schools below stand out for the quality of their best programs.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 42 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for best students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Best in California
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall best education in California.
Top Schools in Best
University Of Southern California tops our 2026 ranking of the best best schools. University Of Southern California is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Los Angeles. About 92% of students finish within six years. About 168 best degrees were awarded at University Of Southern California in the most recent year. Graduates of the best program make about $78,453 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $15,625 to complete this degree.
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California State University Long Beach came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best best schools. Set in the city of Long Beach, California State University Long Beach is a very large public institution. California State University Long Beach graduates 69% of students within six years. California State University Long Beach awarded about 89 best degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their best degree from California State University Long Beach earn around $64,423 in the first couple years of their career. California State University Long Beach graduates carry a median of $15,671 in student loans.
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California State University Fullerton is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in best, ranking #3. Set in the suburb of Fullerton, California State University Fullerton is a very large public institution. California State University Fullerton graduates 70% of students within six years. About 56 best degrees were awarded at California State University Fullerton in the most recent year. Best graduates of California State University Fullerton earn a median of $36,626 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $13,273.
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San Jose State University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in best, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of San Jose, San Jose State University is a very large public university. About 69% of students finish within six years. San Jose State University awarded about 22 best degrees in the most recent data year.
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University Of San Francisco came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best best schools. Set in the city of San Francisco, University Of San Francisco is a large private not-for-profit institution. About 70% of students finish within six years. About 39 best degrees were awarded at University Of San Francisco in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from University Of San Francisco generally make around $87,976. Students borrow a median of $23,935 to complete this degree.
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San Francisco State University came in at #6 for best this year. San Francisco State University is a very large public school located in the city of San Francisco. About 50% of students finish within six years. San Francisco State University awarded about 39 best degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the best program make about $85,122 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $17,024.
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California State University East Bay ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best best schools. California State University East Bay is a large public school located in the suburb of Hayward. About 48% of students finish within six years. About 44 best degrees were awarded at California State University East Bay in the most recent year. Best graduates of California State University East Bay earn a median of $84,881 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $18,073.
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California State University Sacramento earned the #8 position for best this year. Located in the city of Sacramento, California State University Sacramento is a very large public university. About 56% of students finish within six years. About 28 best degrees were awarded at California State University Sacramento in the most recent year. Graduates of the best program make about $71,708 in their early career. California State University Sacramento graduates carry a median of $17,492 in student loans.
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California State University Los Angeles landed the #9 spot for best this year. Set in the city of Los Angeles, California State University Los Angeles is a very large public institution. About 53% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 30 best students who graduated with this degree at California State University Los Angeles in the most recent data year. Graduates of the best program make about $66,365 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $14,430 to complete this degree.
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San Diego State University earned the #10 position for best this year. Located in the city of San Diego, San Diego State University is a very large public university. About 76% of students finish within six years. About 98 best degrees were awarded at San Diego State University in the most recent year. Graduates of the best program make about $56,415 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $15,000 to complete this degree.
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California State University Northridge landed the #11 spot for best this year. Located in the city of Northridge, California State University Northridge is a very large public university. Roughly 57% of students complete a degree within six years here. There were roughly 173 best students who graduated with this degree at California State University Northridge in the most recent data year. Best graduates of California State University Northridge earn a median of $77,004 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $37,500 to complete this degree.
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California State University San Bernardino placed #12 among the best best schools. Located in the city of San Bernardino, California State University San Bernardino is a very large public university. Roughly 55% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 97 best degrees were awarded at California State University San Bernardino in the most recent year. Best graduates of California State University San Bernardino earn a median of $49,144 early in their careers. California State University San Bernardino graduates carry a median of $13,300 in student loans.
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California State University Dominguez Hills ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best best schools. Located in the city of Carson, California State University Dominguez Hills is a large public university. About 43% of students finish within six years. California State University Dominguez Hills awarded about 133 best degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from California State University Dominguez Hills generally make around $59,179. Typical student debt for the program is $18,965.
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Golden Gate University San Francisco ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best best schools. This moderately-sized private not-for-profit university is located in the city of San Francisco. About 39 best degrees were awarded at Golden Gate University San Francisco in the most recent year. Graduates of the best program make about $91,136 in their early career. Golden Gate University San Francisco graduates carry a median of $33,968 in student loans.
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Azusa Pacific University landed the #15 spot for best this year. Azusa Pacific University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Azusa. The six-year graduation rate is 62%. There were roughly 10 best students who graduated with this degree at Azusa Pacific University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their best degree from Azusa Pacific University earn around $58,302 in the first couple years of their career. Azusa Pacific University graduates carry a median of $23,709 in student loans.
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National University came in at #16 for best this year. This very large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of San Diego. Roughly 50% of students complete a degree within six years here. National University awarded about 81 best degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the best program make about $75,141 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $31,603.
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Brandman University Part Of The Chapman University System ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the best best schools. Set in the suburb of Aliso Viejo, Brandman University Part Of The Chapman University System is a large public institution. About 12 best degrees were awarded at Brandman University Part Of The Chapman University System in the most recent year. Graduates of the best program make about $70,199 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $27,471.
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California State University Fresno earned the #18 position for best this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Fresno. The six-year graduation rate is 57%. About 19 best degrees were awarded at California State University Fresno in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, best degree recipients from California State University Fresno generally make around $62,889. Typical student debt for the program is $15,598.
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California Baptist University landed the #19 spot for best this year. California Baptist University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Riverside. About 62% of students finish within six years. California Baptist University awarded about 45 best degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their best degree from California Baptist University earn around $74,317 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $39,244 to complete this degree.
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University Of California Riverside landed the #20 spot for best this year. Located in the city of Riverside, University Of California Riverside is a very large public university. The six-year graduation rate is 76%. University Of California Riverside awarded about 11 best degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their best degree from University Of California Riverside earn around $40,040 in the first couple years of their career. University Of California Riverside graduates carry a median of $19,187 in student loans.
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Monterey Institute Of International Studies ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the best best schools. Located in the suburb of Monterey, Monterey Institute Of International Studies is a small private not-for-profit university. About 17 best degrees were awarded at Monterey Institute Of International Studies in the most recent year. Graduates of the best program make about $63,941 in their early career.
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California State University Chico ranked #22 on our 2026 list of the best best schools. This large public university is located in the city of Chico. About 63% of students finish within six years. California State University Chico awarded about 23 best degrees in the most recent data year. Best graduates of California State University Chico earn a median of $52,475 early in their careers. California State University Chico graduates carry a median of $18,591 in student loans.
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California State University Stanislaus earned the #23 position for best this year. This large public university is located in the suburb of Turlock. California State University Stanislaus graduates 53% of students within six years. About 11 best degrees were awarded at California State University Stanislaus in the most recent year. Best graduates of California State University Stanislaus earn a median of $51,008 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $14,813.
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California State University Bakersfield came in at #24 for best this year. Located in the city of Bakersfield, California State University Bakersfield is a large public university. Roughly 50% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 45 best degrees were awarded at California State University Bakersfield in the most recent year.
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University Of The Pacific placed #25 among the best best schools. University Of The Pacific is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Stockton. Roughly 68% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 12 best degrees were awarded at University Of The Pacific in the most recent year. Best graduates of University Of The Pacific earn a median of $66,784 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $23,514.
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Rest of the Top 29 Best Schools
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s best ranking:
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 42 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.
