The American West is full of prestigious colleges and universities. While you may think of California as a powerhouse with many of these schools, don’t forget about the other states that also have great schools. Check out the list of the best of the best in the west below.
25. University of California—Santa Cruz
Wikimedia Commons user: Amerique
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Student Enrollment: 17,866
College Type: Public, 4-year or above
UC Santa Cruz is considered to run as a residential college system for undergraduates, meaning students typically enter straight into one of the ten different colleges, and stay in that college for their time as an undergraduate. Notable alumni include: Huey P. Newton, Maya Rudolph, and Reyna Grande.
Learn more about the University of California-Santa Cruz
24. Loyola Marymount University
Wikimedia Commons user: Mishigaki
Student Enrollment: 9,515
Location: Los Angeles, CA
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Loyola Marymount University, with its mascot Iggy the Lion, is one of the largest Roman Catholic universities on the West Coast. The school has an 11:1 student-faculty ratio, and a 51% acceptance rate. Incoming freshmen have average ACT scores between 24 and 29, and average SAT combined scores between 1,127 and 1,317.
Learn more about Loyola Marymount University
23. Gonzaga University
Wikimedia Commons user: SCUMATT
Location: Spokane, WA
Student Enrollment: 7,352
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Settled along the Spokane River, Gonzaga boasts unique artwork and top men’s and women’s basketball teams. It’s top five majors are: Business, Biology, Mechanical Engineering, Psychology, and Accounting.
Learn more about Gonzaga University
22. Pepperdine University
Flickr user: Edward Blake
Location: Malibu, CA
Student Enrollment: 7,417
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Besides being the set location for the first two seasons of Zoey 101, Pepperdine is also known for its beautiful campus. The university has a 38% acceptance rate, and a 94% first-year retention rate. The top three majors are: Business Administration, Psychology, and Economics.
Learn more about Pepperdine University
21. University of California-Davis
Wikimedia Commons user: Daderot
Location: Davis, CA
Student Enrollment: 34,508
College Type: Public, 4-year or above
Although it began with the name “University Farm”, the University of California-Davis campus is located in the Sacramento Valley and is home to public art known as The Egghead Series. The top three majors are: Research and Experimental Psychology, Economics, and Business.
Learn more about the University of California-Davis
20. Thomas Aquinas College
Wikimedia Commons user: Forestwalton
Location: Santa Paula, CA
Student Enrollment: 378
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Thomas Aquinas is a liberal arts, Roman Catholic college that offers one degree; a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts. The ceiling of the campus library is made of wood from a 17th-century Spanish monastery. The average ACT composite for an incoming student ranges between 26 and 31, and the average SAT combined scores range between 1,181 and 1,380.
Learn more about Thomas Aquinas College
19. Pitzer College
Flickr user lida
Location: Claremont, CA
Student Enrollment: 1,076
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Formed as a women’s college Pitzer is a highly selective college, with a 13% acceptance rate for incoming students. The top 3 majors at Pitzer are: Environmental Science, Psychology, and Political Science. Pitzer’s mascot is the Sagehen named Cecil.
Learn more about Pitzer College
18. Reed College
Wikimedia Commons user Another Believer
Location: Portland, OR
Student Enrollment: 1,394
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
The average ACT composite scores for Reed College range between 29 and 33 and the average SAT combined scores are between 1,294 and 1,472. The school also boasts a 9:1 student-faculty ratio.
17. University of Washington-Seattle
Flickr user Joe Mabel
Location: Seattle, WA
Student Enrollment: 44,784
College Type: Public, 4-year or above
UW-Seattle’s first graduate, Clara Antoinette McCarty Wilt, received her bachelor’s degree in science. Commonly referred to as “U-Dub”, the top 3 majors at the school are: Speech Communication and Rhetoric, Psychology, and Biology.
Learn more about the University of Washington-Seattle
16. Whitman College
Wikimedia Commons user Adamsofen
Location: Walla Walla, WA
Student Enrollment: 1,498
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Originally founded as a seminary, Whitman College is now a four-year liberal arts college. The average ACT composite scores range between 27 and 32, and the average SAT combined scores range between 1,208 and 1,420. The institution also boasts at 9:1 student-faculty ratio.
Learn more about Whitman College
15. University of California—Irvine
Flickr user Mathieu Marquer
Location: Irvine, CA
Student Enrollment: 30,051
College Type: Public, 4-year or above
The top 3 majors at UC-Irvine are: Biology, Public Health, and Social Psychology. Thanks to a student-run contest, the school mascot is an anteater nicknamed Peter, who has even appeared on Conan.
Learn more about the University of California-Irvine
14. Occidental College
Wikimedia Commons user The Port of Authority
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Student Enrollment: 2,040
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
The average ACT composite score for an incoming freshman is between 27 and 31, and the average SAT combined score is typically between 1,227 and 1,380. The top 5 majors are: Economics, Political Science, Biology, International Relations, and Psychology.
Learn more about Occidental College
13. University of California—Santa Barbara
Flickr user Marcus Bernales
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Student Enrollment: 23,051
College Type: Public, 4-year or above
UC-Santa Barbara has an acceptance rate of 33% and gets around 70,000 applications each year. The UC-Santa Barbara campus is known for being very bicycle-friendly, and is also considered a Public Ivy.
Learn more about the University of California-Santa Barbara
12. University of California—San Diego
Wikimedia Commons user Daderot
Location: La Jolla, CA
Student Enrollment: 30,709
College Type: Public, 4-year or above
UC-San Diego is a public, sea-grant and space-grant university. The top 3 majors are: Economics, Psychology, and Computer Science. Two popular campus traditions include the Pumpkin Drop that happens during Halloween and the Watermelon Drop that occurs each spring.
Learn more about the University of California-San Diego
11. Scripps College
Wikimedia Commons user Lure Photography
Location: Claremont, CA
Student Enrollment: 988
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Scripps College is a women’s liberal arts college, and incoming students sport impressive ACT and SAT scores. The college has a 10:1 student-faculty ratio, and is well-known for its beautiful campus.
Learn more about Scripps College
10. Soka University of America
Wikimedia Commons user Bobak Ha’Eri
Location: Aliso Viejo
Student Enrollment: 417
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Soka University has an 8:1 student-faculty ratio, and offers a Bachelors in Liberal Arts. Although there is only one degree, there are four areas of emphasis that students can choose from: Environmental Studies, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Studies, and International Studies.
Learn more about Soka University of America
9. University of Southern California
Flickr user Ken Lund
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Student Enrollment: 42,453
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
USC has an acceptance rate of only 18%, and the average ACT composite scores for incoming students range between 29 and 34, and the average SAT combined scores range between 1,299 and 1,483. The university boasts a 9:1 student-faculty ratio, and a 96% first-year retention rate.
Learn more about the University of Southern California
8. Santa Clara University
Flickr user Paul Nelson
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Student Enrollment: 9,015
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Known for producing Rhodes and Fulbright Scholars, Santa Clara has also produced Olympians with 14 gold medals. The top 5 majors are: Finance, Marketing, Psychology, Speech Communication and Rhetoric, and Political Science.
Learn more about Santa Clara University
7. University of California—Los Angeles
Flickr user: Ignacio Andrade
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Student Enrollment: 41,845
College Type: Public, 4 year or above
An impressive 93,000 some applications are submitted to UCLA. The university has a 17% acceptance rate, so only about 16,000 are accepted per year. It has a 96% first-year retention rate. There are countless notable alumni, including: composer John Williams, CEO of YouTube Susan Wojcicki, and director Francis Ford Coppola, among many others.
Learn more about the University of California–Los Angeles
6. Claremont McKenna College
Flickr user Craig Stanfill
Location: Claremont, CA
Student Enrollment: 1,324
College Type: Private, nonprofit, 4 year or above
With its school motto of “Crescit cum commercio civitas” which means “Civilization prospers with commerce.” Therefore it’s no surprise that Economics is the most common major on campus—followed by Political Science and Psychology. It’s a highly selective school, with an 11% acceptance rate.
Learn more about Claremont McKenna College
5. Harvey Mudd College
Flickr user: CampusGrotto
Location: Claremont, CA
Student Enrollment: 804
College Type: Private, nonprofit, 4 year
This Liberal Arts college puts a great focus on science, mathematics, and engineering. Academics are very important to the school, and incoming freshmen have impressive exam scores—between 32 and 35 on average for the ACT, and between 1,408 and 1,560 for the SAT. Their school colors are gold and black.
Learn more about Harvey Mudd College
4. University of California—Berkeley
Flickr user: Mike Procario
Location: Berkeley, CA
Student Enrollment: 37,565
College Type: Public, 4 year or above
UC Berkeley is the oldest of the 10 research universities associated with the University of California system. Their school motto “Fiat lux” means “Let there be light.” With their signature colors of Berkeley Blue and California Gold, UC Berkeley students are nicknamed the Golden Bears. The most common major on campus is Economics, followed by Cell and Molecular Biology and Electrical Engineering.
Learn more about University of California–Berkeley
3. Pomona College
Flickr user: Dave & Margie Hill
Location: Claremont, CA
Student Enrollment: 1,650
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
Pomona is well-known for its career preparation programs, with on-campus internships and research opportunities for students. The college has a 93% four-year graduation rate, and a 7:1 student to faculty rate.
Learn more about Pomona College
2. California Institute of Technology
Flickr user: Lana L.
Location: Pasadena, CA
Student Enrollment: 2,209
College Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above
The average ACT composite score for incoming students ranges from 34 to 36, and the average SAT combined score ranges from 1,504 to 1,584. “The truth shall make you free” as the CalTech motto states, and while the school is well-known for academics and alumni, it is also known for the pranks that happen on campus.
Learn more about the California Institute of Technology
1. Stanford University
Flickr user: Robbie Shade
Location: Stanford, CA
Student Enrollment: 16,963
College Type: Private, not-for-profit, four year or above
Stanford University has a 4:1 student to faculty ratio and an average ACT score of 33. Of the nearly 17,000 enrolled students, 97% live on central campus which is primarily located in Silicon Valley. Its location fosters an innovative, entrepreneurial mindset and culturally diverse student population.
Learn more about Stanford University
—
Each of these rankings is based on an analysis of data about the school’s selectivity, financial health, academic rigor, and student success. We’ve outlined our full methodology here.
