Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

52 Best Universities in California for Sports

We ranked the top 52 universities for Sports in California based on strict academic metrics. Based on 3.4M scholarly articles and 166.83M peer-reviewed citations, we reveal the best research labs driving innovation in Sports. This targeted approach bypasses general university reputation, directly revealing the strongest programs.

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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

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

3

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

4

Los Angeles

University of Southern California

#22 in United States #23 in North America

10% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1880 Founded

5

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

6

Berkeley

University of California – Berkeley

#5 in United States #5 in North America

11% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

7

San Diego

San Diego State University

#124 in United States #143 in North America

36% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1897 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

Davis

University of California – Davis

#28 in United States #30 in North America

42% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

10

Pasadena, CA

California Institute of Technology

#46 in United States #50 in North America

3% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1891 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 Barbara

University of California – Santa Barbara

#55 in United States #59 in North America

33% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1921 Founded

13

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

14

Los Angeles

Loyola Marymount University

#266 in United States #297 in North America

45% Acceptance

1,006 Enrollment

1345 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

15

San Diego

University of San Diego

#248 in United States #279 in North America

52% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1949 Founded

16

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

17

Pomona

California State Polytechnic University – Pomona

#321 in United States #357 in North America

75% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1938 Founded

18

San Francisco

University of San Francisco

#234 in United States #264 in North America

62% Acceptance

12,326 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1855 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

Claremont, CA

Claremont Graduate University

#316 in United States #351 in North America

35% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

1925 Founded

21

Loma Linda

Loma Linda University

#221 in United States #249 in North America

74% Acceptance

3,665 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

22

Bakersfield

California State University – Bakersfield

#568 in United States #623 in North America

94% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1965 Founded

23

Stockton

University of the Pacific

#312 in United States #346 in North America

71% Acceptance

15,924 Enrollment

1332 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

24

Oakland

Samuel Merritt University

#1088 in United States #1163 in North America

66% Acceptance

959 Enrollment

1070 Avg SAT

1909 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

Azusa

Azusa Pacific University

#548 in United States #603 in North America

88% Acceptance

910 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

1899 Founded

27

Arcata

Humboldt State University

#297 in United States #328 in North America

98% Acceptance

18,258 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1913 Founded

28

Oakland

Saybrook University

#950 in United States #1022 in North America

85% Acceptance

1,874 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

1971 Founded

29

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

30

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

31

Merced

University of California – Merced

#296 in United States #327 in North America

91% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

2005 Founded

32

Culver, CA

West Los Angeles College

#801 in United States #869 in North America

100% Acceptance

3,665 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

33

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

34

Seaside

California State University – Monterey Bay

#517 in United States #568 in North America

97% Acceptance

28,467 Enrollment

1045 Avg SAT

1994 Founded

35

Fresno

California State University – Fresno

#287 in United States #318 in North America

95% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

36

Riverside

California Baptist University

#794 in United States #862 in North America

85% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1950 Founded

37

Los Angeles

California State University – Northridge

#206 in United States #233 in North America

93% Acceptance

23,163 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1958 Founded

38

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

39

Sacramento

California State University – Sacramento

#282 in United States #313 in North America

94% Acceptance

12,326 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

40

San Diego

Point Loma Nazarene University

#769 in United States #837 in North America

84% Acceptance

19,212 Enrollment

1270 Avg SAT

1902 Founded

41

San Francisco

San Francisco State University

#184 in United States #208 in North America

96% Acceptance

5,891 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1899 Founded

42

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

43

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

44

Pomona

Western University of Health Sciences

#759 in United States #827 in North America

8% Acceptance

3,738 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1977 Founded

45

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

46

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

47

Malibu

Pepperdine University

#275 in United States #306 in North America

63% Acceptance

1,006 Enrollment

1370 Avg SAT

1937 Founded

48

Thousand Oaks

California Lutheran University

#745 in United States #813 in North America

76% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1959 Founded

49

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

50

Orange, CA

Chapman University

#251 in United States #282 in North America

65% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

51

Palo Alto

Palo Alto University

#727 in United States #794 in North America

12% Acceptance

3,007 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1975 Founded

52

Chico

California State University – Chico

#324 in United States #360 in North America

93% Acceptance

31,943 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1887 Founded