Public Universities in California, Ranked by Acceptance Rate

California has 28 public universities in the CollegeCalcAI database. The most selective is UCLA at 9%; the most accessible is Cal State Stanislaus at 98%, and the median public university in the state admits 91%. 10 of them post an admitted-student SAT (75th percentile) of 1300 or higher. In-state tuition usually makes these the best-value options on a California student's list, so it pays to know exactly where each one sits.

Schools

Median acceptance

91%

Most selective

UCLA

9% 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 Public Universities 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 23 of the 28 colleges here, including UC Santa Barbara, San Diego State University and UC Davis. 3 more are Target (25 to 44%), such as UC San Diego and UC Irvine. The other 2 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
UCLAadmits 9%	8%Reach	11%Reach	18%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
San Diego State Universityadmits 36%	28%Target	61%Likely	84%Safety
UC Davisadmits 42%	30%Target	68%Likely	90%Safety
Cal State Long Beachadmits 46%	47%Likely	83%Safety	94%Safety
UC Santa Cruzadmits 66%	90%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
Cal Poly Pomonaadmits 75%	93%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
UC Riversideadmits 76%	93%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety
San Jose State Universityadmits 85%	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
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
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
Cal State East Bayadmits 97%	98%Safety	98%Safety	98%Safety

Show all 28 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)
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. "Public Universities in California, Ranked by Acceptance Rate." 2026. https://collegecalcai.com/data/public-universities-in-california

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91%median acceptance rate, public universities in california, ranked by acceptance rate (28 schools)Source: CollegeCalcAI

<a href="https://collegecalcai.com/data/public-universities-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">91%median acceptance rate, public universities in california, ranked by acceptance rate (28 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.