These rankings are based on data about college professor and faculty salaries at each institution. Faculty who earn higher salaries tend to be more tenured, so colleges and universities with higher average salaries is often seen as an indicator of higher academic strength. But, this ranking can also be affected by other factors -- such as the presence of a medical school or other high-paying faculty positions.
| Rank | Institution | Average Faculty Salary | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Your Est. Net Price Avg. Net Price | Median Starting Salary | Save |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California Institute of Technology | 148763 | 2.57 | 1,540 – 1,590 | 23397 | 132140 |
#1
California Institute of Technology
|
| 2 | Stanford University | 131504 | 3.61 | 1,510 – 1,570 | 17998 | 102887 |
#2
Stanford University
|
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles | 128018 | 8.97 | 1,320 – 1,540 | 15166 | 59063 |
#3
University of California-Los Angeles
|
| 4 | University of California-Berkeley | 124799 | 11.04 | 1,330 – 1,540 | 16997 | 74919 |
#4
University of California-Berkeley
|
| 5 | University of Southern California | 114315 | 10.02 | 1,440 – 1,550 | 41496 | 74461 |
University of Southern California
|
| 6 | MiraCosta College | 114235 | 0 | -- | 7972 | 59423 | |
| 7 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 112804 | 32.96 | 1,260 – 1,480 | 15283 | 56852 |
University of California-Santa Barbara
|
| 8 | University of California-Irvine | 108707 | 28.78 | 1,240 – 1,440 | 14647 | 56210 |
University of California-Irvine
|
| 9 | Pomona College | 107983 | 7.09 | 1,490 – 1,560 | 17423 | 60850 |
Pomona College
|
| 10 | Claremont McKenna College | 107977 | 9.59 | 1,470 – 1,560 | 29978 | 87603 |
Claremont McKenna College
|
| 11 | Harvey Mudd College | 107128 | 12.66 | 1,500 – 1,580 | 42720 | 115107 |
Harvey Mudd College
|
| 12 | University of California-Davis | 107117 | 41.83 | 1,180 – 1,420 | 17315 | 58461 |
University of California-Davis
|
| 13 | University of San Francisco | 105893 | 61.71 | 1,200 – 1,390 | 44104 | 69951 |
University of San Francisco
|
| 14 | Golden Gate University | 104451 | 57.52 | -- | 0 | 81704 |
Golden Gate University
|
| 15 | Cypress College | 103707 | 0 | -- | 7730 | 35285 | |
| 16 | University of California-San Diego | 103200 | 26.77 | 1,290 – 1,490 | 13293 | 65669 |
University of California-San Diego
|
| 17 | University of California-Santa Cruz | 102694 | 65.57 | 1,180 – 1,390 | 16526 | 49716 |
University of California-Santa Cruz
|
| 18 | Santa Clara University | 102178 | 48 | 1,370 – 1,490 | 49651 | 91198 |
Santa Clara University
|
| 19 | Northeastern University Oakland | 100300 | 16.54 | 1,390 – 1,520 | 0 | 78413 | |
| 20 | University of California-Riverside | 100092 | 76.85 | 1,090 – 1,310 | 13533 | 48593 |
University of California-Riverside
|
| 21 | University of San Diego | 99660 | 52.38 | 1,210 – 1,390 | 37675 | 64995 |
University of San Diego
|
| 22 | Chapman University | 98478 | 65.43 | 1,280 – 1,440 | 48037 | 58080 |
Chapman University
|
| 23 | Pepperdine University | 97884 | 62.86 | 1,250 – 1,450 | 52216 | 64934 |
#23
Pepperdine University
|
| 24 | Loyola Marymount University | 96823 | 45.08 | 1,320 – 1,450 | 54471 | 62763 |
#24
Loyola Marymount University
|
| 25 | Santa Monica College | 96404 | 43.84 | -- | 5636 | 51847 | |
| 26 | Menlo College | 96136 | 67.81 | 940 – 1,150 | 28158 | 60608 | |
| 27 | Scripps College | 95157 | 38.29 | 1,430 – 1,520 | 45505 | 68027 |
Scripps College
|
| 28 | Pitzer College | 92252 | 25.16 | 1,190 – 1,370 | 34801 | 51784 |
Pitzer College
|
| 29 | National University | 92238 | 54.55 | 750 – 1,170 | 28115 | 64331 |
National University
|
| 30 | Santa Ana College | 91409 | 0 | -- | 6914 | 59213 | |
| 31 | Soka University of America | 90941 | 69.52 | 1,220 – 1,460 | 18807 | 42696 |
Soka University of America
|
| 32 | San Francisco Conservatory of Music | 89518 | 51.94 | 910 – 1,230 | 44360 | 23988 |
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
|
| 33 | Samuel Merritt University | 89343 | 80.92 | 1,020 – 1,200 | 0 | 56709 | |
| 34 | Foothill College | 88513 | 100 | -- | 9665 | 48920 | |
| 35 | Occidental College | 87960 | 44.17 | 1,390 – 1,520 | 47113 | 52209 |
Occidental College
|
| 36 | Rio Hondo College | 87852 | 80.92 | -- | 13920 | 54803 | |
| 37 | University of the Pacific | 87493 | 71.32 | 1,180 – 1,470 | 30975 | 62672 |
#37
University of the Pacific
|
| 38 | Saint Mary's College of California | 87062 | 88.56 | 1,080 – 1,270 | 31615 | 60388 |
Saint Mary's College of California
|
| 39 | Bakersfield College | 85590 | 79.48 | -- | 5892 | 29867 | |
| 40 | Skyline College | 85429 | 99.03 | -- | 4652 | 59213 | |
| 41 | University of La Verne | 85163 | 48.47 | 970 – 1,290 | 27216 | 53806 |
University of La Verne
|
| 42 | San Diego State University | 84844 | 35.98 | 1,100 – 1,320 | 19500 | 52620 |
San Diego State University
|
| 43 | Modesto Junior College | 83961 | 16.54 | -- | 13093 | 59213 |
Modesto Junior College
|
| 44 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 83527 | 73.7 | 1,010 – 1,260 | 11898 | 54466 |
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
|
| 45 | San Francisco State University | 83426 | 96.15 | 930 – 1,140 | 13353 | 52650 |
San Francisco State University
|
| 46 | San Jose State University | 83027 | 84.61 | -- | 13833 | 62448 |
San Jose State University
|
| 47 | Thomas Aquinas College | 83001 | 79.76 | 1,240 – 1,460 | 23039 | 59550 |
Thomas Aquinas College
|
| 48 | Whittier College | 82442 | 83.5 | 1,070 – 1,250 | 32436 | 46025 |
Whittier College
|
| 49 | Woodbury University | 81967 | 72.87 | 940 – 1,240 | 31257 | 47665 |
Woodbury University
|
| 50 | Antelope Valley Community College District | 81523 | 0 | -- | 8294 | 28110 | |
| 51 | Point Loma Nazarene University | 81486 | 83.67 | 1,200 – 1,400 | 36370 | 54811 |
Point Loma Nazarene University
|
| 52 | California State University-Los Angeles | 81157 | 91.25 | 870 – 1,060 | 4551 | 45702 | |
| 53 | California Lutheran University | 79905 | 75.67 | 1,160 – 1,360 | 27080 | 54981 |
California Lutheran University
|
| 54 | California State University-East Bay | 79806 | 96.81 | 830 – 1,050 | 10874 | 55546 |
California State University-East Bay
|
| 55 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo | 79624 | 31.22 | 1,240 – 1,450 | 16888 | 72358 |
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
|
| 56 | California State University-Channel Islands | 79074 | 93.06 | 870 – 1,080 | 10931 | 46785 |
California State University-Channel Islands
|
| 57 | University of Redlands | 78639 | 82.71 | 1,110 – 1,350 | 28054 | 61686 |
University of Redlands
|
| 58 | California State University-Long Beach | 78494 | 46.28 | 1,030 – 1,240 | 9731 | 50062 |
California State University-Long Beach
|
| 59 | California State University-San Bernardino | 78446 | 93.18 | 820 – 1,020 | 6645 | 43149 |
California State University-San Bernardino
|
| 60 | Westmont College | 78273 | 77.04 | 1,230 – 1,430 | 36412 | 53737 |
Westmont College
|
| 61 | California State University-Northridge | 77354 | 92.19 | 900 – 1,110 | 8222 | 44372 |
California State University-Northridge
|
| 62 | University of Massachusetts Global | 77284 | 92.86 | -- | 31715 | 55438 | |
| 63 | Sonoma State University | 77119 | 94.73 | 1,010 – 1,180 | 15113 | 52179 |
Sonoma State University
|
| 64 | Feather River Community College District | 77106 | 41.5 | -- | 10949 | 33495 | |
| 65 | California State University-Chico | 76934 | 91.58 | 960 – 1,290 | 15187 | 50493 |
California State University-Chico
|
| 66 | California State University-Fullerton | 76838 | 90.52 | -- | 6283 | 48558 |
California State University-Fullerton
|
| 67 | Solano Community College | 76820 | 88.49 | -- | 6317 | 35071 | |
| 68 | California State University-Dominguez Hills | 76682 | 59.11 | 760 – 950 | 4438 | 46827 |
California State University-Dominguez Hills
|
| 69 | California State University-San Marcos | 75910 | 95.1 | 860 – 1,080 | 10500 | 48673 |
California State University-San Marcos
|
| 70 | California State University-Sacramento | 75808 | 93.43 | 900 – 1,130 | 11183 | 51074 |
California State University-Sacramento
|
| 71 | California State University-Bakersfield | 75483 | 85.08 | 920 – 1,180 | 6567 | 44282 |
#71
California State University-Bakersfield
|
| 72 | Dominican University of California | 75041 | 83.92 | 1,170 – 1,280 | 51292 | 71477 |
Dominican University of California
|
| 73 | California State University Maritime Academy | 75022 | 98.73 | 930 – 1,210 | 16081 | 84676 |
California State University Maritime Academy
|
| 74 | San Diego Mesa College | 74520 | 80.92 | -- | 3175 | 35773 | |
| 75 | Stanbridge University | 74391 | 11.37 | -- | 23800 | 53729 |
Stanbridge University
|
| 76 | California State University-Fresno | 74340 | 96.38 | 890 – 1,100 | 7303 | 44012 |
California State University-Fresno
|
| 77 | Biola University | 74188 | 74.82 | 1,170 – 1,370 | 30510 | 45752 |
#77
Biola University
|
| 78 | West Coast University-Los Angeles | 74171 | 93.16 | -- | 51992 | 59213 | |
| 79 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt | 73983 | 91.98 | 1,010 – 1,270 | 13837 | 37382 |
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
|
| 80 | American University of Health Sciences | 73802 | 100 | -- | 0 | 59213 |
American University of Health Sciences
|
| 81 | The Master's University and Seminary | 73237 | 75.89 | 1,010 – 1,210 | 33463 | 41665 |
The Master's University and Seminary
|
| 82 | California State University-Stanislaus | 72936 | 98.14 | 840 – 1,060 | 7316 | 47793 |
California State University-Stanislaus
|
| 83 | California Institute of the Arts | 72766 | 25.95 | -- | 57288 | 28018 |
#83
California Institute of the Arts
|
| 84 | University of California-Merced | 72498 | 91.52 | 980 – 1,160 | 13232 | 48475 |
University of California-Merced
|
| 85 | West Coast University-Ontario | 71820 | 88.1 | -- | 47027 | 96114 | |
| 86 | California Baptist University | 71734 | 85.35 | 930 – 1,210 | 28596 | 52336 |
California Baptist University
|
| 87 | West Coast University-Orange County | 71701 | 95.35 | -- | 36263 | 96114 | |
| 88 | Mount Saint Mary's University | 71550 | 73.13 | 910 – 1,120 | 27434 | 61335 |
Mount Saint Mary's University
|
| 89 | California College of the Arts | 71192 | 91.1 | 940 – 1,220 | 49945 | 38308 |
California College of the Arts
|
| 90 | California State University-Monterey Bay | 70350 | 97.34 | 900 – 1,210 | 15222 | 48648 |
California State University-Monterey Bay
|
| 91 | Azusa Pacific University | 70115 | 79.59 | 990 – 1,300 | 26117 | 56794 |
Azusa Pacific University
|
| 92 | United States University | 70090 | 81.78 | -- | 20197 | 34909 | |
| 93 | Pacific College | 68729 | 50 | -- | 21941 | 62792 | |
| 94 | Shasta College | 68595 | 100 | -- | 7751 | 59213 | |
| 95 | CBD College | 68115 | 95.45 | -- | 19098 | 59213 | |
| 96 | Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science | 67981 | 90.45 | 820 – 970 | 27789 | 60939 | |
| 97 | West Los Angeles College | 66486 | 0 | -- | 9426 | 59213 | |
| 98 | Loma Linda University | 66396 | 93.3 | -- | 0 | 88185 | |
| 99 | Unitek College | 65989 | 0 | -- | 23984 | 59213 | |
| 100 | Academy of Art University | 65918 | 100 | -- | 36591 | 30452 |
Academy of Art University
|
| 101 | Life Pacific University | 65480 | 93.95 | 930 – 1,180 | 23311 | 35814 |
Life Pacific University
|
| 102 | Art Center College of Design | 65433 | 76.18 | -- | 53306 | 53562 |
Art Center College of Design
|
| 103 | La Sierra University | 65073 | 93.3 | 890 – 1,140 | 28076 | 42617 |
La Sierra University
|
| 104 | University of Silicon Valley | 64435 | 51.31 | 980 – 1,210 | 30602 | 39802 |
University of Silicon Valley
|
| 105 | Laguna College of Art and Design | 63897 | 95.71 | -- | 44285 | 31987 |
Laguna College of Art and Design
|
| 106 | Vanguard University of Southern California | 63822 | 64.79 | 940 – 1,200 | 20273 | 43464 |
Vanguard University of Southern California
|
| 107 | Los Angeles College of Music | 63820 | 81.37 | -- | 43023 | 20538 | |
| 108 | Pacific Oaks College | 63596 | 10 | -- | 0 | 47962 | |
| 109 | Southern California Institute of Architecture | 63310 | 82.67 | 1,060 – 1,260 | 21514 | 55544 |
Southern California Institute of Architecture
|
| 110 | Otis College of Art and Design | 63086 | 81.76 | 930 – 1,180 | 49440 | 43654 |
Otis College of Art and Design
|
| 111 | Newschool of Architecture and Design | 61261 | 100 | -- | 50190 | 57073 |
Newschool of Architecture and Design
|
| 112 | The Chicago School at Los Angeles | 60886 | 40.17 | -- | 0 | 51817 | |
| 113 | Fresno Pacific University | 60744 | 57.52 | 970 – 1,180 | 15668 | 51422 |
Fresno Pacific University
|
| 114 | Fremont University | 58734 | 100 | -- | 32304 | 30681 | |
| 115 | American Jewish University | 58451 | 96 | 980 – 1,100 | 0 | 63721 | |
| 116 | Platt College-Los Angeles | 57271 | 92.86 | -- | 29947 | 38619 | |
| 117 | Touro University Worldwide | 56538 | 33.85 | -- | 18428 | 48057 | |
| 118 | New York Film Academy | 55392 | 52.4 | -- | 50504 | 25150 |
#118
New York Film Academy
|
| 119 | Platt College-Ontario | 54669 | 99.3 | -- | 25958 | 38619 | |
| 120 | Concordia University-Irvine | 53939 | 59.86 | 1,050 – 1,300 | 29413 | 53777 |
Concordia University-Irvine
|
| 121 | Simpson University | 53314 | 99.03 | 970 – 1,180 | 28453 | 51256 |
Simpson University
|
| 122 | Carrington College-Sacramento | 52009 | 88.7 | -- | 36520 | 37870 | |
| 123 | John Paul the Great Catholic University | 51897 | 79.29 | 1,050 – 1,150 | 31811 | 34360 |
#123
John Paul the Great Catholic University
|
| 124 | Career Networks Institute | 51547 | 0 | -- | 26098 | 52232 | |
| 125 | William Jessup University | 51368 | 76.82 | 1,060 – 1,300 | 28171 | 43163 |
William Jessup University
|
| 126 | Pacific College of Health and Science | 50851 | 100 | -- | 37477 | 25108 | |
| 127 | Southern California Institute of Technology | 50190 | 87.5 | -- | 27934 | 60630 |
#127
Southern California Institute of Technology
|
| 128 | Providence Christian College | 50169 | 92.52 | 1,010 – 1,210 | 25354 | 52373 | |
| 129 | San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia | 49281 | 50.55 | -- | 28857 | 36007 | |
| 130 | Humphreys University-Stockton and Modesto Campuses | 49215 | 0 | -- | 7108 | 40569 | |
| 131 | Casa Loma College-Los Angeles | 48384 | 100 | -- | 26780 | 50197 | |
| 132 | Hope International University | 48374 | 32.98 | 900 – 1,250 | 30514 | 36030 |
Hope International University
|
| 133 | Southern California University of Health Sciences | 46436 | 0 | -- | 26443 | 59213 | |
| 134 | Los Angeles Film School | 45465 | 95.1 | -- | 32944 | 24375 | |
| 135 | Pacific Union College | 45266 | 42.48 | 970 – 1,210 | 22799 | 52713 |
Pacific Union College
|
| 136 | SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary | 44183 | 64.21 | -- | 23282 | 30871 | |
| 137 | Smith Chason College | 41728 | 68.44 | -- | 33522 | 48956 | |
| 138 | Lincoln University | 35000 | 69.49 | -- | 30324 | 44602 | |
| 139 | Interior Designers Institute | 34296 | 98.83 | -- | 0 | 51847 | |
| 140 | FIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising | 32413 | 41.5 | -- | 41128 | 40974 |
FIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising
|
| 141 | University of Antelope Valley | 32022 | 77.11 | -- | 6532 | 0 | |
| 142 | Musicians Institute | 30863 | 71.29 | 980 – 1,300 | 39056 | 24962 | |
| 143 | California College of ASU | 28801 | 51.31 | -- | 35614 | 33350 |
California College of ASU
|
| 144 | Yeshiva Ohr Elchonon Chabad West Coast Talmudical Seminary | 28637 | 61.68 | -- | 13122 | 53468 | |
| 145 | Bethesda University | 28634 | 79.48 | -- | 13965 | 37397 |
Bethesda University
|
| 146 | World Mission University | 26263 | 77.78 | -- | 16598 | 63721 | |
| 147 | California Aeronautical University | 11672 | 55.89 | -- | 36328 | 37182 |
California Aeronautical University
|
School data is from 2022–2023 (top 500 results shown) for schools with at least 100 undergraduate students.
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