Best Software Engineering Universities in California [2026 Rankings]

1

Stanford

Stanford University

For Software Engineering

#2 in United States #2 in North America

4% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

2

Berkeley

University of California – Berkeley

For Software Engineering

#3 in United States #3 in North America

11% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

3

Los Angeles

University of Southern California

For Software Engineering

#8 in United States #8 in North America

10% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1880 Founded

4

Irvine

University of California – Irvine

For Software Engineering

#13 in United States #15 in North America

29% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

5

Los Angeles

University of California – Los Angeles

For Software Engineering

#15 in United States #18 in North America

9% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

6

San Diego

University of California-San Diego

For Software Engineering

#21 in United States #24 in North America

27% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

7

Davis

University of California – Davis

For Software Engineering

#33 in United States #38 in North America

42% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

8

Pasadena, CA

California Institute of Technology

For Software Engineering

#38 in United States #43 in North America

3% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

9

Santa Barbara

University of California – Santa Barbara

For Software Engineering

#47 in United States #60 in North America

33% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1921 Founded

10

Monterey

Naval Postgraduate School

For Software Engineering

#66 in United States #80 in North America

23% Acceptance

837 Enrollment

1335 Avg SAT

1909 Founded

11

San Francisco

University of California – San Francisco

For Software Engineering

#93 in United States #110 in North America

13% Acceptance

2,942 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1864 Founded

12

Santa Cruz

University of California – Santa Cruz

For Software Engineering

#97 in United States #115 in North America

66% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

13

Riverside

University of California – Riverside

For Software Engineering

#105 in United States #124 in North America

76% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1954 Founded

14

San Diego

San Diego State University

For Software Engineering

#172 in United States #201 in North America

36% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1897 Founded

15

Santa Clara, CA

Santa Clara University

For Software Engineering

#191 in United States #222 in North America

48% Acceptance

37,661 Enrollment

1420 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

16

Los Angeles

Loyola Marymount University

For Software Engineering

#369 in United States #414 in North America

45% Acceptance

1,006 Enrollment

1345 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

17

San Marcos, CA

California State University – San Marcos

For Software Engineering

#347 in United States #389 in North America

95% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1989 Founded

18

Malibu

Pepperdine University

For Software Engineering

#440 in United States #487 in North America

63% Acceptance

1,006 Enrollment

1370 Avg SAT

1937 Founded

19

Claremont, CA

Harvey Mudd College

For Software Engineering

#330 in United States #372 in North America

13% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1955 Founded

20

Orange, CA

Chapman University

For Software Engineering

#405 in United States #452 in North America

65% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

21

San Bernardino

California State University – San Bernardino

For Software Engineering

#312 in United States #352 in North America

94% Acceptance

16,237 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

22

San Diego

University of San Diego

For Software Engineering

#295 in United States #333 in North America

52% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1949 Founded

23

Chico

California State University – Chico

For Software Engineering

#336 in United States #378 in North America

93% Acceptance

31,943 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

24

San Francisco

University of San Francisco

For Software Engineering

#256 in United States #290 in North America

62% Acceptance

12,326 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

25

Pomona

California State Polytechnic University – Pomona

For Software Engineering

#240 in United States #273 in North America

75% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1938 Founded

26

Fullerton

California State University – Fullerton

For Software Engineering

#184 in United States #214 in North America

91% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

27

Claremont, CA

Claremont Graduate University

For Software Engineering

#277 in United States #313 in North America

35% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

1925 Founded

28

Long Beach, CA

California State University – Long Beach

For Software Engineering

#210 in United States #242 in North America

46% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1949 Founded

29

Arcata

Humboldt State University

For Software Engineering

#366 in United States #411 in North America

98% Acceptance

18,258 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1913 Founded

30

San Luis Obispo

California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo

For Software Engineering

#166 in United States #193 in North America

31% Acceptance

27,636 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

31

Merced

University of California – Merced

For Software Engineering

#268 in United States #303 in North America

91% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

2005 Founded

32

Los Angeles

California State University – Northridge

For Software Engineering

#248 in United States #281 in North America

93% Acceptance

23,163 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1958 Founded

33

Fresno

California State University – Fresno

For Software Engineering

#265 in United States #299 in North America

95% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

34

San Francisco

San Francisco State University

For Software Engineering

#276 in United States #312 in North America

96% Acceptance

5,891 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1899 Founded

35

Vallejo

California State University Maritime Academy

For Software Engineering

#453 in United States #502 in North America

95% Acceptance

2,441 Enrollment

1135 Avg SAT

1929 Founded

36

Sacramento

California State University – Sacramento

For Software Engineering

#190 in United States #221 in North America

94% Acceptance

12,326 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

37

San Jose, CA

San Jose State University

For Software Engineering

#122 in United States #146 in North America

85% Acceptance

22,563 Enrollment

1420 Avg SAT

1857 Founded

38

Palo Alto

Palo Alto University

For Software Engineering

#292 in United States #330 in North America

12% Acceptance

3,007 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1975 Founded

39

Los Angeles

California State University – Los Angeles

For Software Engineering

#317 in United States #357 in North America

91% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

39 Best Universities in California for Software Engineering

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