Hardest Colleges to Get Into in California

California has 61 colleges in the CollegeCalcAI database, and this page ranks every one of them by acceptance rate. The most selective are California Institute of Technology (3%), Stanford University (4%), and Pomona College (7%). 7 schools admit a quarter of applicants or fewer, the median California college admits 75%, and 28 are public against 33 private. At the other end, Cal State Stanislaus admits 98%. Open any school for its full admissions profile, or check your own odds free.

Schools

Median acceptance

75%

Most selective

California Institute of Technology

3% acceptance

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Your chances at these colleges

Estimated chance of admission for three typical students, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA; 2, 4 and 7 AP courses respectively; Regular Decision; no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook.

Which of the Hardest Colleges in California can I get into with a 3.7 GPA and a 1300 SAT?

By CollegeCalcAI's model, a student with a 3.7 unweighted GPA and a 1300 SAT has a Likely or Safety estimate (45% or higher) at 51 of the 61 colleges here, including UC Santa Barbara, Hope International University and San Diego State University. 3 more are Target (25 to 44%), such as UC San Diego and UC Irvine. The other 7 are Reach. Estimates assume Regular Decision and no hook; courses, activities and essays move them.

Estimated admission chance for three student profiles at each college: 3.3 GPA, 1150 SAT; 3.7 GPA, 1300 SAT; 4.0 GPA, 1500 SAT
College	3.3 GPA1150 SAT	3.7 GPA1300 SAT	4.0 GPA1500 SAT
California Institute of Technologyadmits 3%	4%Reach	4%Reach	7%Reach
Stanford Universityadmits 4%	4%Reach	6%Reach	8%Reach
Pomona Collegeadmits 7%	7%Reach	9%Reach	14%Reach
UCLAadmits 9%	8%Reach	11%Reach	18%Reach
University of Southern Californiaadmits 10%	8%Reach	12%Reach	20%Reach
Claremont McKenna Collegeadmits 10%	9%Reach	12%Reach	20%Reach
University of California, Berkeleyadmits 11%	9%Reach	13%Reach	21%Reach
UC San Diegoadmits 27%	17%Reach	32%Target	59%Likely
UC Irvineadmits 29%	18%Reach	40%Target	69%Likely
Cal Poly San Luis Obispoadmits 31%	19%Reach	43%Target	73%Safety
UC Santa Barbaraadmits 33%	21%Reach	45%Likely	76%Safety
Hope International Universityadmits 33%	42%Target	65%Likely	78%Safety
San Diego State Universityadmits 36%	28%Target	61%Likely	84%Safety
UC Davisadmits 42%	30%Target	68%Likely	90%Safety
Occidental Collegeadmits 44%	31%Target	66%Likely	91%Safety
Loyola Marymount Universityadmits 45%	35%Target	74%Safety	93%Safety
Cal State Long Beachadmits 46%	47%Likely	83%Safety	94%Safety
Pacific Union Collegeadmits 47%	69%Likely	89%Safety	95%Safety
Santa Clara Universityadmits 48%	36%Target	73%Safety	94%Safety
University of San Diegoadmits 52%	46%Likely	85%Safety	97%Safety
University of San Franciscoadmits 62%	68%Likely	96%Safety	98%Safety
Vanguard Universityadmits 62%	88%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Pepperdine Universityadmits 63%	62%Likely	94%Safety	98%Safety
Fresno Pacific Universityadmits 64%	90%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Chapman Universityadmits 65%	69%Likely	96%Safety	98%Safety

Show all 61 colleges

Estimated admission chance for three student profiles at each college: 3.3 GPA, 1150 SAT; 3.7 GPA, 1300 SAT; 4.0 GPA, 1500 SAT (continued)
Concordia University Irvineadmits 66%	92%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
UC Santa Cruzadmits 66%	90%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Jessup Universityadmits 68%	94%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
University of the Pacificadmits 71%	88%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Biola Universityadmits 74%	94%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal Poly Pomonaadmits 75%	93%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
UC Riversideadmits 76%	93%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
California Lutheran Universityadmits 76%	96%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Westmont Collegeadmits 77%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Thomas Aquinas Collegeadmits 83%	95%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Dominican University (CA)admits 84%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Point Loma Nazarene Universityadmits 84%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Masters Universityadmits 84%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
California Baptist Universityadmits 85%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
San Jose State Universityadmits 85%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Simpson Universityadmits 86%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Saint Mary's College of Californiaadmits 87%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Azusa Pacific Universityadmits 88%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal State Fullertonadmits 91%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal State Los Angelesadmits 91%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
La Sierra Universityadmits 92%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal State Northridgeadmits 93%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal State Chicoadmits 93%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal State Dominguez Hillsadmits 93%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
William Jessup Universityadmits 93%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Sacramento State Universityadmits 94%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal State San Bernardinoadmits 94%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Fresno State Universityadmits 95%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal State San Marcosadmits 95%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal Maritime Academyadmits 95%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
San Francisco State Universityadmits 96%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Life Pacific Universityadmits 96%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal State East Bayadmits 97%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal State Monterey Bayadmits 97%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal Poly Humboldtadmits 98%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal State Stanislausadmits 98%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety

Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities or compare your own list with the free admissions API.

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CollegeCalcAI. "Hardest Colleges to Get Into in California." 2026. https://collegecalcai.com/data/hardest-colleges-in-california

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75%median acceptance rate, hardest colleges to get into in california (61 schools)Source: CollegeCalcAI

<a href="https://collegecalcai.com/data/hardest-colleges-in-california?utm_source=embed&utm_medium=statcard" style="display:inline-block;padding:16px 20px;border:1px solid #E5E9F0;border-radius:14px;text-decoration:none;font-family:system-ui,sans-serif;background:#fff">75%median acceptance rate, hardest colleges to get into in california (61 schools)Source: CollegeCalcAI</a>

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Acceptance rates and admitted test ranges reflect publicly reported data (U.S. Department of Education / NCES IPEDS / Common Data Sets) and are rounded. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.