Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

76 Best Universities in California for Cognitive Science

We ranked the top 76 universities for Cognitive Science in California based on strict academic metrics. Our methodology evaluated 3.51M subject-specific papers and 170.02M citations to find the strongest faculties. This targeted approach bypasses general university reputation, directly revealing the strongest programs.

Active Filters: Cognitive Science California Clear All

Ranking Methodology Notice

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Field of Study

Sub-Branch

1

Stanford

Stanford University

#2 in United States #2 in North America

4% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

2

Berkeley

University of California – Berkeley

#5 in United States #5 in North America

11% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

3

San Diego

University of California-San Diego

#20 in United States #21 in North America

27% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

4

Los Angeles

University of California – Los Angeles

#11 in United States #11 in North America

9% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

5

Los Angeles

University of Southern California

#22 in United States #23 in North America

10% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1880 Founded

6

Davis

University of California – Davis

#28 in United States #30 in North America

42% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

7

San Francisco

University of California – San Francisco

#32 in United States #35 in North America

13% Acceptance

2,942 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1864 Founded

8

Irvine

University of California – Irvine

#43 in United States #46 in North America

29% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

9

Pasadena, CA

California Institute of Technology

#46 in United States #50 in North America

3% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

10

Santa Barbara

University of California – Santa Barbara

#55 in United States #59 in North America

33% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1921 Founded

11

Riverside

University of California – Riverside

#89 in United States #101 in North America

76% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1954 Founded

12

Santa Cruz

University of California – Santa Cruz

#84 in United States #96 in North America

66% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

13

San Diego

San Diego State University

#124 in United States #143 in North America

36% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1897 Founded

14

Santa Clara, CA

Santa Clara University

#205 in United States #232 in North America

48% Acceptance

37,661 Enrollment

1420 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

15

Monterey

Naval Postgraduate School

#231 in United States #260 in North America

23% Acceptance

837 Enrollment

1335 Avg SAT

1909 Founded

16

Los Angeles

Loyola Marymount University

#266 in United States #297 in North America

45% Acceptance

1,006 Enrollment

1345 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

17

Santa Barbara

Fielding Graduate University

#844 in United States #912 in North America

82% Acceptance

518 Enrollment

1255 Avg SAT

1974 Founded

18

Stockton

University of the Pacific

#312 in United States #346 in North America

71% Acceptance

15,924 Enrollment

1332 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

19

San Rafael

Dominican University of California

#631 in United States #690 in North America

83% Acceptance

518 Enrollment

1255 Avg SAT

1890 Founded

20

Loma Linda

Loma Linda University

#221 in United States #249 in North America

74% Acceptance

3,665 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

21

San Marcos, CA

California State University – San Marcos

#440 in United States #487 in North America

95% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1989 Founded

22

Los Angeles

Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles

#809 in United States #877 in North America

46% Acceptance

910 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

1979 Founded

23

Claremont, CA

#304 in United States #337 in North America

7% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

24

Oakland

#625 in United States #684 in North America

17% Acceptance

9,724 Enrollment

1470 Avg SAT

1852 Founded

25

Fullerton

California State University – Fullerton

#216 in United States #244 in North America

91% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

26

Berkeley

Wright Institute

#1108 in United States #1183 in North America

91% Acceptance

1,057 Enrollment

1255 Avg SAT

1969 Founded

27

Hayward, CA

California State University – East Bay

#433 in United States #480 in North America

97% Acceptance

31,943 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

28

Culver, CA

West Los Angeles College

#801 in United States #869 in North America

100% Acceptance

3,665 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

29

Arcata

Humboldt State University

#297 in United States #328 in North America

98% Acceptance

18,258 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1913 Founded

30

Moraga

Saint Mary’s College of California

#599 in United States #656 in North America

87% Acceptance

9,724 Enrollment

1470 Avg SAT

1863 Founded

31

Long Beach, CA

California State University – Long Beach

#211 in United States #238 in North America

46% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1949 Founded

32

Rosemead

University of the West

#1086 in United States #1161 in North America

100% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1990 Founded

33

Carson, CA

California State University – Dominguez Hills

#430 in United States #477 in North America

93% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

34

San Diego

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

#763 in United States #831 in North America

76% Acceptance

281 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

35

Merced

University of California – Merced

#296 in United States #327 in North America

91% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

2005 Founded

36

Redlands

University of Redlands

#583 in United States #640 in North America

83% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1229 Avg SAT

1907 Founded

37

San Luis Obispo

California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo

#209 in United States #236 in North America

31% Acceptance

27,636 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

38

Camarillo

California State University – Channel Islands

#1080 in United States #1155 in North America

95% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

2002 Founded

39

Claremont, CA

Harvey Mudd College

#418 in United States #464 in North America

13% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1955 Founded

40

Pomona

Western University of Health Sciences

#759 in United States #827 in North America

8% Acceptance

3,738 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1977 Founded

41

Fresno

California State University – Fresno

#287 in United States #318 in North America

95% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

42

Turlock

California State University – Stanislaus

#577 in United States #632 in North America

98% Acceptance

15,257 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

43

Los Angeles

California State University – Northridge

#206 in United States #233 in North America

93% Acceptance

23,163 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1958 Founded

44

Oakland

Saybrook University

#950 in United States #1022 in North America

85% Acceptance

1,874 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

1971 Founded

45

Los Angeles

Occidental College

#381 in United States #427 in North America

44% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

46

Thousand Oaks

California Lutheran University

#745 in United States #813 in North America

76% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1959 Founded

47

Sacramento

California State University – Sacramento

#282 in United States #313 in North America

94% Acceptance

12,326 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

48

Bakersfield

California State University – Bakersfield

#568 in United States #623 in North America

94% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1965 Founded

49

San Francisco

San Francisco State University

#184 in United States #208 in North America

96% Acceptance

5,891 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1899 Founded

50

Aliso Viejo

Soka University of America

#911 in United States #983 in North America

43% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1422 Avg SAT

2001 Founded

51

Rohnert Park

Sonoma State University

#372 in United States #416 in North America

93% Acceptance

22,563 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

52

San Francisco

California Institute of Integral Studies

#728 in United States #795 in North America

90% Acceptance

1,057 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

1968 Founded

53

Los Angeles

California State University – Los Angeles

#278 in United States #309 in North America

91% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

54

Pasadena, CA

Fuller Theological Seminary

#567 in United States #622 in North America

82% Acceptance

833 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

55

San Jose, CA

San Jose State University

#168 in United States #192 in North America

85% Acceptance

22,563 Enrollment

1420 Avg SAT

1857 Founded

56

Santa Clarita

Master’s University and Seminary

#894 in United States #964 in North America

84% Acceptance

27,636 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1927 Founded

57

San Bernardino

California State University – San Bernardino

#331 in United States #368 in North America

94% Acceptance

16,237 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

58

Palo Alto

Palo Alto University

#727 in United States #794 in North America

12% Acceptance

3,007 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1975 Founded

59

Malibu

Pepperdine University

#275 in United States #306 in North America

63% Acceptance

1,006 Enrollment

1370 Avg SAT

1937 Founded

60

La Mirada

Biola University

#564 in United States #619 in North America

74% Acceptance

1,890 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

1908 Founded

61

San Diego

United States University

#1724 in United States #1812 in North America

100% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1997 Founded

62

Pleasant Hill

John F. Kennedy University

#888 in United States #958 in North America

100% Acceptance

31,943 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1964 Founded

63

Chico

California State University – Chico

#324 in United States #360 in North America

93% Acceptance

31,943 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

64

Claremont, CA

Scripps College

#697 in United States #762 in North America

38% Acceptance

23,453 Enrollment

1490 Avg SAT

1926 Founded

65

Orange, CA

Chapman University

#251 in United States #282 in North America

65% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

66

Azusa

Azusa Pacific University

#548 in United States #603 in North America

88% Acceptance

910 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

1899 Founded

67

Berkeley

Graduate Theological Union

#881 in United States #951 in North America

91% Acceptance

124 Enrollment

1265 Avg SAT

68

Pomona

California State Polytechnic University – Pomona

#321 in United States #357 in North America

75% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1938 Founded

69

Los Angeles

Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

#691 in United States #755 in North America

39% Acceptance

1,144 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1966 Founded

70

San Diego

University of San Diego

#248 in United States #279 in North America

52% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1949 Founded

71

San Diego

Alliant International University – San Diego

#528 in United States #580 in North America

915 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

2001 Founded

$25,481 Net Price

72

Vallejo

California State University Maritime Academy

#880 in United States #950 in North America

95% Acceptance

2,441 Enrollment

1135 Avg SAT

1929 Founded

73

Claremont, CA

Claremont Graduate University

#316 in United States #351 in North America

35% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

1925 Founded

74

Claremont, CA

#644 in United States #704 in North America

25% Acceptance

1,771 Enrollment

1490 Avg SAT

1963 Founded

75

San Francisco

University of San Francisco

#234 in United States #264 in North America

62% Acceptance

12,326 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

76

Claremont, CA

Claremont McKenna College

#452 in United States #500 in North America

10% Acceptance

1,771 Enrollment

1515 Avg SAT

1946 Founded