First-Gen Fit Rankings: California

Sorted by First-Gen Fit Score · 207 schools · Data: U.S. Dept. of Education

🏆 9 Excellent (80+) ✅ 45 Good (60–79) ⚠️ 62 Fair (40–59) ⚠️ 91 Low (<40)
# College Fit Score First-Gen Rate Pell Rate Net Price <$30k Retention
1 Sofia University
Palo Alto
100 🏆 Excellent
100%
2 Pacific States University
Los Angeles
100 🏆 Excellent
100%
3 California State University-Los Angeles
Los Angeles
85 🏆 Excellent
66.3% $2,877 71.9%
4 Arizona College of Nursing-Ontario
Ontario
85 🏆 Excellent
56.5% 100%
5 California State University-San Bernardino
San Bernardino
84 🏆 Excellent
57.6% $2,681 79.6%
6 California State University-Bakersfield
Bakersfield
83 🏆 Excellent
60.7% $3,536 78.8%
7 California State University-Stanislaus
Turlock
82 🏆 Excellent
55.2% $3,938 82.5%
8 Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses
Stockton
82 🏆 Excellent
52.5% $6,324 100%
9 California State University-Fresno
Fresno
80 🏆 Excellent
57% $5,105 81.6%
10 California State University-Dominguez Hills
Carson
79 ✅ Good
63.3% $7,303 73.7%
11 Pacific Oaks College
Pasadena
79 ✅ Good
56.7%
12 Presbyterian Theological Seminary in America
Santa Fe Springs
79 ✅ Good
63.2%
13 California State University-Northridge
Northridge
78 ✅ Good
56.1% $4,905 73.4%
14 University of California-Merced
Merced
78 ✅ Good
58.9% $7,945 82.1%
15 California State University-Fullerton
Fullerton
77 ✅ Good
48.1% $3,315 82.4%
16 San Diego Christian College
Santee
77 ✅ Good
45% $992 85.7%
17 The Chicago School at Anaheim
Anaheim
77 ✅ Good
18 Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical Seminary
Los Angeles
76 ✅ Good
70.1% $14,300 95.1%
19 The Chicago School at San Diego
San Diego
76 ✅ Good
60%
20 California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach
75 ✅ Good
50.2% $7,183 86.8%
21 California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento
74 ✅ Good
49.1% $6,501 81.9%
22 California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona
73 ✅ Good
46.3% $7,851 87.4%
23 The Chicago School at Los Angeles
Los Angeles
73 ✅ Good
56.5%
24 California Miramar University
San Diego
73 ✅ Good
48.5% $9,131 92.3%
25 University of California-Riverside
Riverside
72 ✅ Good
47% $8,852 87.6%
26 American University of Health Sciences
Signal Hill
72 ✅ Good
45.6% 100%
27 California Institute of Technology
Pasadena
71 ✅ Good
18% $-2,133 97.4%
28 California State University-East Bay
Hayward
71 ✅ Good
44.4% $6,360 75.7%
29 California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos
71 ✅ Good
42.6% $6,230 78.6%
30 California State University-Channel Islands
Camarillo
71 ✅ Good
46.6% $6,857 72.4%
31 University of California-Irvine
Irvine
69 ✅ Good
36.1% $8,123 94.1%
32 Fresno Pacific University
Fresno
69 ✅ Good
58.4% $11,133 71.6%
33 Stanford University
Stanford
69 ✅ Good
19.2% $-2,536 98.2%
34 University of California-Los Angeles
Los Angeles
68 ✅ Good
28.2% $5,579 97.3%
35 Palo Alto University
Palo Alto
68 ✅ Good
50%
36 San Francisco State University
San Francisco
68 ✅ Good
42.2% $9,341 82.7%
37 California State University-Monterey Bay
Seaside
68 ✅ Good
43.2% $9,970 79.9%
38 Oak Valley College
Rialto
68 ✅ Good
55.8% $12,336 81.8%
39 California State University-Chico
Chico
67 ✅ Good
42.5% $9,902 81.6%
40 University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley
67 ✅ Good
28.6% $5,311 96.8%
41 University of California-San Diego
La Jolla
67 ✅ Good
34.2% $7,525 94%
42 California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
Arcata
67 ✅ Good
42.9% $8,483 76%
43 San Jose State University
San Jose
66 ✅ Good
35.2% $9,730 86.8%
44 Epic Bible College & Graduate School
Sacramento
66 ✅ Good
48.4%
45 West Coast University-Center for Graduate Studies
Los Angeles
66 ✅ Good
46 University of California-Davis
Davis
65 ✅ Good
31.4% $9,211 92.8%
47 America Evangelical University
Gardena
65 ✅ Good
88.7% $16,941 53.6%
48 University of California-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara
64 ✅ Good
27.9% $9,231 93%
49 San Diego State University
San Diego
64 ✅ Good
31.7% $9,910 90.6%
50 Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park
64 ✅ Good
35.9% $8,310 79.2%
51 University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz
63 ✅ Good
31.6% $8,717 88%
52 Pomona College
Claremont
63 ✅ Good
19.5% $4,841 97.6%
53 Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art
Van Nuys
63 ✅ Good
50%
54 World Mission University
Los Angeles
62 ✅ Good
41.1% $15,785 100%
55 Golden Gate University
San Francisco
59 ⚠️ Fair
35.7%
56 Life Pacific University
San Dimas
59 ⚠️ Fair
53.8% $16,786 73%
57 California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo
58 ⚠️ Fair
19.2% $7,529 95.6%
58 Scripps College
Claremont
58 ⚠️ Fair
11% $6,948 93.8%
59 California Institute of Integral Studies
San Francisco
57 ⚠️ Fair
45.6%
60 Reach University
Oakland
57 ⚠️ Fair
62.9% $22,997 80.5%
61 Azusa Pacific University
Azusa
56 ⚠️ Fair
35.2% $15,781 84%
62 Bethesda University
Anaheim
56 ⚠️ Fair
34% $9,747 44.8%
63 University of La Verne
La Verne
56 ⚠️ Fair
51.4% $20,151 64.5%
64 Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles
56 ⚠️ Fair
57.1% $23,849 71.1%
65 Northcentral University
San Diego
56 ⚠️ Fair
37.8%
66 Touro University Worldwide
Los Alamitos
56 ⚠️ Fair
51.2% $18,342 64.7%
67 University of the Pacific
Stockton
55 ⚠️ Fair
36.1% $17,004 88.5%
68 Soka University of America
Aliso Viejo
55 ⚠️ Fair
20.4% $12,020 90.5%
69 University of Phoenix-California
Ontario
55 ⚠️ Fair
29.7%
70 Vanguard University of Southern California
Costa Mesa
54 ⚠️ Fair
43.8% $17,225 70.1%
71 University of the West
Rosemead
54 ⚠️ Fair
28.3% $6,845 50%
72 University of Southern California
Los Angeles
53 ⚠️ Fair
22.2% $13,516 95.9%
73 SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary
El Dorado Hills
53 ⚠️ Fair
44.7% $21,249 64.3%
74 Claremont McKenna College
Claremont
51 ⚠️ Fair
18.1% $15,308 98.1%
75 Loma Linda University
Loma Linda
51 ⚠️ Fair
35%
76 Touro University California
Vallejo
51 ⚠️ Fair
77 Grace Mission University
Fullerton
51 ⚠️ Fair
23.6% 80%
78 California Baptist University
Riverside
50 ⚠️ Fair
42.1% $22,298 74.4%
79 West Coast University-Los Angeles
North Hollywood
50 ⚠️ Fair
44.8% $49,093 100%
80 West Coast University-Ontario
Ontario
50 ⚠️ Fair
49.3% $45,911 88.9%
81 California State University Maritime Academy
Vallejo
49 ⚠️ Fair
25.1% $13,552 77.5%
82 Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont
49 ⚠️ Fair
28.6%
83 University of San Diego
San Diego
49 ⚠️ Fair
20.9% $15,586 91.4%
84 Trinity Law School
Santa Ana
49 ⚠️ Fair
85 West Coast University-Orange County
Anaheim
49 ⚠️ Fair
41.1% $29,867 100%
86 Thomas Aquinas College
Santa Paula
48 ⚠️ Fair
26.7% $19,761 91.6%
87 Chamberlain University-California
Rancho Cordova
48 ⚠️ Fair
33.4% $35,887 100%
88 Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
Monterey
47 ⚠️ Fair
41.7%
89 Antioch University-Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara
47 ⚠️ Fair
31.4%
90 California Aeronautical University
Bakersfield
47 ⚠️ Fair
46.3% $35,535 69.2%
91 Los Angeles Film School
Hollywood
47 ⚠️ Fair
63.2% $30,655 51.2%
92 Lionel University
Carpinteria
47 ⚠️ Fair
44.7% $29,817 75%
93 California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks
46 ⚠️ Fair
31.1% $22,161 78.8%
94 University of Silicon Valley
San Jose
46 ⚠️ Fair
49.7% $24,350 68.8%
95 La Sierra University
Riverside
46 ⚠️ Fair
47.3% $44,988 77.3%
96 Pitzer College
Claremont
46 ⚠️ Fair
10.6% $14,535 93.8%
97 Saint Mary's College of California
Moraga
46 ⚠️ Fair
26.7% $19,462 85.4%
98 Gnomon
North Hollywood
46 ⚠️ Fair
10.8% 90%
99 California College of ASU
Los Angeles
45 ⚠️ Fair
46.3% $15,386 25%
100 Woodbury University
Burbank
45 ⚠️ Fair
46.2% $28,815 74%
101 Los Angeles Pacific University
San Dimas
45 ⚠️ Fair
51.6% $23,408 57.1%
102 Academy of Art University
San Francisco
44 ⚠️ Fair
41% $37,668 75.4%
103 Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science
Los Angeles
44 ⚠️ Fair
53.6% $35,636 50%
104 Dominican University of California
San Rafael
44 ⚠️ Fair
31.9% $24,572 85.5%
105 Newschool of Architecture and Design
San Diego
44 ⚠️ Fair
52.1% $47,379 62.5%
106 William Jessup University
Rocklin
44 ⚠️ Fair
31.7% $23,123 76.9%
107 Whittier College
Whittier
44 ⚠️ Fair
33.9% $21,718 66.2%
108 Simpson University
Redding
43 ⚠️ Fair
44.1% $25,511 60.4%
109 Providence Christian College
Pasadena
43 ⚠️ Fair
31.3% $23,481 78.6%
110 National University
San Diego
42 ⚠️ Fair
28.8% $21,554 52.6%
111 University of Redlands
Redlands
42 ⚠️ Fair
36.5% $28,287 84%
112 Minerva University
San Francisco
42 ⚠️ Fair
0% 98%
113 Menlo College
Atherton
41 ⚠️ Fair
31.1% $25,546 69.9%
114 Antioch University-Los Angeles
Culver City
41 ⚠️ Fair
24.6%
115 Occidental College
Los Angeles
40 ⚠️ Fair
16.6% $20,705 89.9%
116 Pacific Union College
Angwin
40 ⚠️ Fair
34% $41,008 88.6%
117 Hope International University
Fullerton
39 ⚠️ Low
44.3% $27,991 52.4%
118 Westmont College
Santa Barbara
39 ⚠️ Low
20% $20,899 85%
119 John Paul the Great Catholic University
Escondido
39 ⚠️ Low
32.6% $27,029 85.1%
120 Lincoln University
Oakland
38 ⚠️ Low
0% 88.9%
121 Shasta Bible College and Graduate School
Redding
38 ⚠️ Low
61.5% $30,437
122 Concordia University-Irvine
Irvine
37 ⚠️ Low
24.2% $25,431 74.8%
123 DHARMA REALM BUDDHIST UNIVERSITY
Ukiah
37 ⚠️ Low
0% 85.7%
124 Laguna College of Art and Design
Laguna Beach
37 ⚠️ Low
29.9% $37,203 84.2%
125 The Master's University and Seminary
Santa Clarita
37 ⚠️ Low
21.2% $24,624 84.7%
126 Northeastern University Oakland
Oakland
37 ⚠️ Low
26.7% $8,161 0.2%
127 University of San Francisco
San Francisco
37 ⚠️ Low
28% $31,537 83.7%
128 California Northstate University
Elk Grove
37 ⚠️ Low
0% 85.7%
129 Biola University
La Mirada
36 ⚠️ Low
26% $27,144 83.9%
130 California College of the Arts
San Francisco
36 ⚠️ Low
25.1% $61,407 86.7%
131 Design Institute of San Diego
San Diego
36 ⚠️ Low
51.1% 0%
132 Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles
36 ⚠️ Low
33.6% $44,731 74.5%
133 Point Loma Nazarene University
San Diego
36 ⚠️ Low
21.4% $30,999 85.5%
134 Santa Clara University
Santa Clara
36 ⚠️ Low
11.3% $22,985 93.9%
135 University of Massachusetts Global
Aliso Viejo
36 ⚠️ Low
22.5% $31,963 62.2%
136 Southern California Institute of Architecture
Los Angeles
35 ⚠️ Low
21.3% $36,824 91.4%
137 Art Center College of Design
Pasadena
34 ⚠️ Low
21.6% $39,645 85.9%
138 California Institute of the Arts
Valencia
34 ⚠️ Low
24.2% $26,686 82.4%
139 Ashford University
San Diego
34 ⚠️ Low
32.1% $31,009 34.7%
140 Chapman University
Orange
33 ⚠️ Low
19.4% $33,559 91.8%
141 Harvey Mudd College
Claremont
33 ⚠️ Low
15.2% $27,979 96.4%
142 Pepperdine University
Malibu
33 ⚠️ Low
20.3% $50,560 87.6%
143 Samuel Merritt University
Oakland
33 ⚠️ Low
18.4%
144 San Francisco Conservatory of Music
San Francisco
33 ⚠️ Low
16.7% $55,704 92.7%
145 Abraham Lincoln University
Glendale
33 ⚠️ Low
53.3% $28,584 33.3%
146 Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles
31 ⚠️ Low
13.2% $32,268 88.6%
147 San Francisco Bay University
Fremont
31 ⚠️ Low
0% 72.2%
148 Westcliff University
Irvine
27 ⚠️ Low
6% $24,253 71.6%
149 Los Angeles College of Music
Pasadena
26 ⚠️ Low
20.2% $42,657 61.3%
150 Southern California Seminary
El Cajon
25 ⚠️ Low
34.4% 0%
151 California Jazz Conservatory
Berkeley
21 ⚠️ Low
30% 0%
152 Haven University
Garden Grove
12 ⚠️ Low
9.7%
153 Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences
Oakland
0 ⚠️ Low
154 American Film Institute Conservatory
Los Angeles
0 ⚠️ Low
155 University of California College of the Law-San Francisco
San Francisco
0 ⚠️ Low
156 University of California-San Francisco
San Francisco
0 ⚠️ Low
157 California Western School of Law
San Diego
0 ⚠️ Low
158 Church Divinity School of the Pacific
Berkeley
0 ⚠️ Low
159 Claremont Graduate University
Claremont
0 ⚠️ Low
160 Western University of Health Sciences
Pomona
0 ⚠️ Low
161 Dominican School of Philosophy & Theology
Berkeley
0 ⚠️ Low
162 Emperor's College of Traditional Oriental Medicine
Santa Monica
0 ⚠️ Low
163 Fielding Graduate University
Santa Barbara
0 ⚠️ Low
164 Five Branches University
Santa Cruz
0 ⚠️ Low
165 Franciscan School of Theology
San Diego
0 ⚠️ Low
166 Fuller Theological Seminary
Pasadena
0 ⚠️ Low
167 Graduate Theological Union
Berkeley
0 ⚠️ Low
168 Pacifica Graduate Institute
Carpinteria
0 ⚠️ Low
169 Life Chiropractic College West
Hayward
0 ⚠️ Low
170 Naval Postgraduate School
Monterey
0 ⚠️ Low
171 Pacific School of Religion
Berkeley
0 ⚠️ Low
172 RAND School of Public Policy
Santa Monica
0 ⚠️ Low
173 Dongguk University Los Angeles
Los Angeles
0 ⚠️ Low
174 San Joaquin College of Law
Clovis
0 ⚠️ Low
175 Saybrook University
Pasadena
0 ⚠️ Low
176 South Baylo University
Anaheim
0 ⚠️ Low
177 Starr King School for the Ministry
Oakland
0 ⚠️ Low
178 Marshall B Ketchum University
Fullerton
0 ⚠️ Low
179 Southwestern Law School
Los Angeles
0 ⚠️ Low
180 Claremont School of Theology
Los Angeles
0 ⚠️ Low
181 The Colleges of Law at Ventura
Ventura
0 ⚠️ Low
182 Westminster Theological Seminary in California
Escondido
0 ⚠️ Low
183 The Wright Institute
Berkeley
0 ⚠️ Low
184 Thomas Jefferson School of Law
San Diego
0 ⚠️ Low
185 University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
San Marcos
0 ⚠️ Low
186 Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College-Berkeley
Berkeley
0 ⚠️ Low
187 Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Los Angeles
0 ⚠️ Low
188 Keck Graduate Institute
Claremont
0 ⚠️ Low
189 University of East-West Medicine
Sunnyvale
0 ⚠️ Low
190 Academy for Jewish Religion California
Los Angeles
0 ⚠️ Low
191 The Colleges of Law at Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara
0 ⚠️ Low
192 Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
La Jolla
0 ⚠️ Low
193 University of West Los Angeles
Inglewood
0 ⚠️ Low
0%
194 High Tech High Graduate School of Education
San Diego
0 ⚠️ Low
195 Presidio Graduate School
San Anselmo
0 ⚠️ Low
196 California Institute of Advanced Management
Alhambra
0 ⚠️ Low
197 Alhambra Medical University
Alhambra
0 ⚠️ Low
198 Claremont Lincoln University
Claremont
0 ⚠️ Low
199 California Health Sciences University
Clovis
0 ⚠️ Low
200 Institute of Buddhist Studies
Berkeley
0 ⚠️ Low
201 Meridian University
Petaluma
0 ⚠️ Low
202 Reiss-Davis Graduate School
Los Angeles
0 ⚠️ Low
203 Cal Northern School of Law
Chico
0 ⚠️ Low
204 Alder Graduate School of Education
Redwood City
0 ⚠️ Low
205 California University of Science and Medicine
Colton
0 ⚠️ Low
206 Daybreak University
Anaheim
0 ⚠️ Low
207 EDvance College
San Francisco
0 ⚠️ Low
0%

Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. First-Gen Fit Score is a composite index for informational purposes only.