Best Earth science and Geoscience Universities in California [2026 Rankings]

1

Stanford

Stanford University

For Earth science and Geoscience

#1 in United States #1 in North America

4% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

2

Pasadena, CA

California Institute of Technology

For Earth science and Geoscience

#3 in United States #3 in North America

3% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

3

Berkeley

University of California – Berkeley

For Earth science and Geoscience

#5 in United States #5 in North America

11% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

4

Los Angeles

University of California – Los Angeles

For Earth science and Geoscience

#8 in United States #8 in North America

9% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

5

San Diego

University of California-San Diego

For Earth science and Geoscience

#14 in United States #14 in North America

27% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

6

Los Angeles

University of Southern California

For Earth science and Geoscience

#22 in United States #25 in North America

10% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1880 Founded

7

Santa Barbara

University of California – Santa Barbara

For Earth science and Geoscience

#23 in United States #26 in North America

33% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1921 Founded

8

Davis

University of California – Davis

For Earth science and Geoscience

#28 in United States #31 in North America

42% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

9

Santa Cruz

University of California – Santa Cruz

For Earth science and Geoscience

#38 in United States #43 in North America

66% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

10

Irvine

University of California – Irvine

For Earth science and Geoscience

#47 in United States #54 in North America

29% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

11

Riverside

University of California – Riverside

For Earth science and Geoscience

#77 in United States #92 in North America

76% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1954 Founded

12

San Francisco

University of California – San Francisco

For Earth science and Geoscience

#95 in United States #115 in North America

13% Acceptance

2,942 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1864 Founded

13

San Diego

San Diego State University

For Earth science and Geoscience

#111 in United States #132 in North America

36% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1897 Founded

14

Monterey

Naval Postgraduate School

For Earth science and Geoscience

#153 in United States #184 in North America

23% Acceptance

837 Enrollment

1335 Avg SAT

1909 Founded

15

Santa Clara, CA

Santa Clara University

For Earth science and Geoscience

#268 in United States #312 in North America

48% Acceptance

37,661 Enrollment

1420 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

16

Los Angeles

Loyola Marymount University

For Earth science and Geoscience

#434 in United States #486 in North America

45% Acceptance

1,006 Enrollment

1345 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

17

San Luis Obispo

California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo

For Earth science and Geoscience

#205 in United States #245 in North America

31% Acceptance

27,636 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

18

Hayward, CA

California State University – East Bay

For Earth science and Geoscience

#608 in United States #669 in North America

97% Acceptance

31,943 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

19

Merced

University of California – Merced

For Earth science and Geoscience

#171 in United States #203 in North America

91% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

2005 Founded

20

Rosemead

University of the West

For Earth science and Geoscience

#503 in United States #556 in North America

100% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1990 Founded

21

Los Angeles

California State University – Northridge

For Earth science and Geoscience

#238 in United States #280 in North America

93% Acceptance

23,163 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1958 Founded

22

Carson, CA

California State University – Dominguez Hills

For Earth science and Geoscience

#625 in United States #686 in North America

93% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

23

Fresno

California State University – Fresno

For Earth science and Geoscience

#245 in United States #287 in North America

95% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

24

Santa Clarita

Master’s University and Seminary

For Earth science and Geoscience

#510 in United States #564 in North America

84% Acceptance

27,636 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1927 Founded

25

San Francisco

San Francisco State University

For Earth science and Geoscience

#230 in United States #272 in North America

96% Acceptance

5,891 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1899 Founded

26

Claremont, CA

Harvey Mudd College

For Earth science and Geoscience

#564 in United States #622 in North America

13% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1955 Founded

27

Sacramento

California State University – Sacramento

For Earth science and Geoscience

#358 in United States #407 in North America

94% Acceptance

12,326 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

28

Vallejo

California State University Maritime Academy

For Earth science and Geoscience

#341 in United States #390 in North America

95% Acceptance

2,441 Enrollment

1135 Avg SAT

1929 Founded

29

San Jose, CA

San Jose State University

For Earth science and Geoscience

#144 in United States #172 in North America

85% Acceptance

22,563 Enrollment

1420 Avg SAT

1857 Founded

30

Los Angeles

Occidental College

For Earth science and Geoscience

#303 in United States #350 in North America

44% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

31

Los Angeles

California State University – Los Angeles

For Earth science and Geoscience

#254 in United States #297 in North America

91% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

32

San Diego

Ashford University

For Earth science and Geoscience

#334 in United States #383 in North America

100% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

$32,265 Net Price

33

Rohnert Park

Sonoma State University

For Earth science and Geoscience

#444 in United States #496 in North America

93% Acceptance

22,563 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

34

Orange, CA

Chapman University

For Earth science and Geoscience

#305 in United States #352 in North America

65% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

35

Whittier

Whittier College

For Earth science and Geoscience

#559 in United States #615 in North America

81% Acceptance

23,453 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

36

San Bernardino

California State University – San Bernardino

For Earth science and Geoscience

#382 in United States #432 in North America

94% Acceptance

16,237 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

37

San Diego

University of San Diego

For Earth science and Geoscience

#375 in United States #424 in North America

52% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1949 Founded

38

Pomona

Western University of Health Sciences

For Earth science and Geoscience

#516 in United States #570 in North America

8% Acceptance

3,738 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1977 Founded

39

Chico

California State University – Chico

For Earth science and Geoscience

#322 in United States #370 in North America

93% Acceptance

31,943 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

40

San Francisco

University of San Francisco

For Earth science and Geoscience

#478 in United States #531 in North America

62% Acceptance

12,326 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

41

Turlock

California State University – Stanislaus

For Earth science and Geoscience

#626 in United States #687 in North America

98% Acceptance

15,257 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

42

Pomona

California State Polytechnic University – Pomona

For Earth science and Geoscience

#314 in United States #362 in North America

75% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1938 Founded

43

Loma Linda

Loma Linda University

For Earth science and Geoscience

#310 in United States #357 in North America

74% Acceptance

3,665 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

44

Bakersfield

California State University – Bakersfield

For Earth science and Geoscience

#459 in United States #511 in North America

94% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1965 Founded

45

Stockton

University of the Pacific

For Earth science and Geoscience

#387 in United States #438 in North America

71% Acceptance

15,924 Enrollment

1332 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

46

Fullerton

California State University – Fullerton

For Earth science and Geoscience

#217 in United States #258 in North America

91% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

47

San Francisco

Golden Gate University – San Francisco

For Earth science and Geoscience

#450 in United States #502 in North America

83% Acceptance

28,313 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

48

Claremont, CA

Pomona College

For Earth science and Geoscience

#249 in United States #292 in North America

7% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

49

Long Beach, CA

California State University – Long Beach

For Earth science and Geoscience

#216 in United States #257 in North America

46% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1949 Founded

50

Seaside

California State University – Monterey Bay

For Earth science and Geoscience

#329 in United States #378 in North America

97% Acceptance

28,467 Enrollment

1045 Avg SAT

1994 Founded

51

Arcata

Humboldt State University

For Earth science and Geoscience

#214 in United States #255 in North America

98% Acceptance

18,258 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1913 Founded

51 Best Universities in California for Earth science and Geoscience

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