Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

59 Best Universities in California for Virology

If you are looking to study Virology in California, our index highlights the top 59 domain-leading institutions. To determine these leaders, we isolated 3.47M specialized research publications which collectively generated 169.4M citations. This targeted approach bypasses general university reputation, directly revealing the strongest programs.

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1

San Francisco

University of California – San Francisco

For Virology

#3 in United States #3 in North America

13% Acceptance

2,942 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1864 Founded

2

Stanford

Stanford University

For Virology

#6 in United States #6 in North America

4% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

3

Los Angeles

University of California – Los Angeles

For Virology

#12 in United States #12 in North America

9% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

4

San Diego

University of California-San Diego

For Virology

#14 in United States #15 in North America

27% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

5

Davis

University of California – Davis

For Virology

#22 in United States #23 in North America

42% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

6

Los Angeles

University of Southern California

For Virology

#24 in United States #25 in North America

10% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1880 Founded

7

Berkeley

University of California – Berkeley

For Virology

#31 in United States #33 in North America

11% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

8

Irvine

University of California – Irvine

For Virology

#55 in United States #60 in North America

29% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

9

Pasadena, CA

California Institute of Technology

For Virology

#95 in United States #108 in North America

3% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

10

Riverside

University of California – Riverside

For Virology

#99 in United States #112 in North America

76% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1954 Founded

11

Santa Barbara

University of California – Santa Barbara

For Virology

#124 in United States #139 in North America

33% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1921 Founded

12

San Diego

San Diego State University

For Virology

#143 in United States #161 in North America

36% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1897 Founded

13

Santa Cruz

University of California – Santa Cruz

For Virology

#166 in United States #187 in North America

66% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1965 Founded

14

Santa Clara, CA

Santa Clara University

For Virology

#332 in United States #365 in North America

48% Acceptance

37,661 Enrollment

1420 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

15

Los Angeles

Loyola Marymount University

For Virology

#413 in United States #453 in North America

45% Acceptance

1,006 Enrollment

1345 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

16

Monterey

Naval Postgraduate School

For Virology

#510 in United States #554 in North America

23% Acceptance

837 Enrollment

1335 Avg SAT

1909 Founded

17

Los Angeles

California State University – Los Angeles

For Virology

#338 in United States #372 in North America

91% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

18

Pomona

Western University of Health Sciences

For Virology

#199 in United States #222 in North America

8% Acceptance

3,738 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1977 Founded

19

San Jose, CA

San Jose State University

For Virology

#297 in United States #328 in North America

85% Acceptance

22,563 Enrollment

1420 Avg SAT

1857 Founded

20

San Bernardino

California State University – San Bernardino

For Virology

#337 in United States #371 in North America

94% Acceptance

16,237 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

21

Malibu

Pepperdine University

For Virology

#496 in United States #537 in North America

63% Acceptance

1,006 Enrollment

1370 Avg SAT

1937 Founded

22

Palo Alto

Palo Alto University

For Virology

#242 in United States #268 in North America

12% Acceptance

3,007 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1975 Founded

23

Claremont, CA

Keck Graduate Institute

For Virology

#457 in United States #497 in North America

50% Acceptance

44,256 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1997 Founded

24

Chico

California State University – Chico

For Virology

#505 in United States #548 in North America

93% Acceptance

31,943 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

25

Orange, CA

Chapman University

For Virology

#331 in United States #364 in North America

65% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

26

Duarte

Irell & Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences at City of Hope

For Virology

#175 in United States #196 in North America

14% Acceptance

359 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

1994 Founded

27

Vallejo

Touro University California

For Virology

#366 in United States #401 in North America

1,367 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1997 Founded

28

Pomona

California State Polytechnic University – Pomona

For Virology

#428 in United States #468 in North America

75% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1938 Founded

29

Rosemead

University of the West

For Virology

#395 in United States #433 in North America

100% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1990 Founded

30

San Diego

University of San Diego

For Virology

#400 in United States #439 in North America

52% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1949 Founded

31

Los Angeles

Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

For Virology

#267 in United States #295 in North America

39% Acceptance

1,144 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1966 Founded

32

Claremont, CA

Claremont Graduate University

For Virology

#421 in United States #461 in North America

35% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

1925 Founded

33

Santa Monica

Pardee RAND Graduate School

For Virology

#235 in United States #260 in North America

13% Acceptance

15,182 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

1970 Founded

34

San Francisco

University of San Francisco

For Virology

#265 in United States #293 in North America

62% Acceptance

12,326 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

35

San Rafael

Dominican University of California

For Virology

#582 in United States #632 in North America

83% Acceptance

518 Enrollment

1255 Avg SAT

1890 Founded

36

Stockton

University of the Pacific

For Virology

#299 in United States #330 in North America

71% Acceptance

15,924 Enrollment

1332 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

37

Santa Clarita

Master’s University and Seminary

For Virology

#598 in United States #651 in North America

84% Acceptance

27,636 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1927 Founded

38

Loma Linda

Loma Linda University

For Virology

#177 in United States #198 in North America

74% Acceptance

3,665 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

39

San Diego

Alliant International University – San Diego

For Virology

#466 in United States #506 in North America

915 Enrollment

1111 Avg SAT

2001 Founded

$25,481 Net Price

40

Claremont, CA

For Virology

#351 in United States #385 in North America

7% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

41

Pleasant Hill

John F. Kennedy University

For Virology

#439 in United States #479 in North America

100% Acceptance

31,943 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1964 Founded

42

Fullerton

California State University – Fullerton

For Virology

#327 in United States #360 in North America

91% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

43

Claremont, CA

Claremont McKenna College

For Virology

#501 in United States #543 in North America

10% Acceptance

1,771 Enrollment

1515 Avg SAT

1946 Founded

44

Arcata

Humboldt State University

For Virology

#276 in United States #305 in North America

98% Acceptance

18,258 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1913 Founded

45

Santa Barbara

Fielding Graduate University

For Virology

#361 in United States #396 in North America

82% Acceptance

518 Enrollment

1255 Avg SAT

1974 Founded

46

Long Beach, CA

California State University – Long Beach

For Virology

#229 in United States #253 in North America

46% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1949 Founded

47

San Marcos, CA

California State University – San Marcos

For Virology

#469 in United States #509 in North America

95% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1989 Founded

48

Merced

University of California – Merced

For Virology

#238 in United States #264 in North America

91% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

2005 Founded

49

Culver, CA

West Los Angeles College

For Virology

#254 in United States #281 in North America

100% Acceptance

3,665 Enrollment

1100 Avg SAT

50

San Luis Obispo

California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo

For Virology

#404 in United States #443 in North America

31% Acceptance

27,636 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1901 Founded

51

Hayward, CA

California State University – East Bay

For Virology

#545 in United States #593 in North America

97% Acceptance

31,943 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

52

Fresno

California State University – Fresno

For Virology

#282 in United States #311 in North America

95% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1125 Avg SAT

1911 Founded

53

Riverside

California Baptist University

For Virology

#562 in United States #610 in North America

85% Acceptance

42,003 Enrollment

1350 Avg SAT

1950 Founded

54

Los Angeles

California State University – Northridge

For Virology

#381 in United States #419 in North America

93% Acceptance

23,163 Enrollment

1525 Avg SAT

1958 Founded

55

Carson, CA

California State University – Dominguez Hills

For Virology

#514 in United States #558 in North America

93% Acceptance

18,492 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

56

Sacramento

California State University – Sacramento

For Virology

#347 in United States #381 in North America

94% Acceptance

12,326 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1947 Founded

57

San Diego

Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

For Virology

#173 in United States #194 in North America

76% Acceptance

281 Enrollment

1245 Avg SAT

58

San Francisco

San Francisco State University

For Virology

#256 in United States #283 in North America

96% Acceptance

5,891 Enrollment

1290 Avg SAT

1899 Founded

59

Los Angeles

Occidental College

For Virology

#550 in United States #598 in North America

44% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1887 Founded