Are There Ivy League Schools in California?
What’s Covered:
- What is the Ivy League? Are there Ivies in California?
- 15 “Ivy League” Schools in California
- What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?
The Ivy League has a cachet that draws applicants from around the world. Although California isn’t home to any official Ivy League schools, many of the Golden State’s institutions of higher education boast exceptional academics and highly selective admissions policies, ranking them alongside the nation’s most prestigious institutions, including those of the Ivy League.
Keep reading to discover 15 Ivy League-level colleges in California to consider if you want to head west for school.
What is the Ivy League? Are there Ivies in California?
The term Ivy League was coined in the 1930s and refers to a group of highly competitive colleges located in the Northeast. However, these schools were originally grouped together and called Ivies simply because they were all in the same athletic conference.
Having rich histories and reputations for rigorous academics, the Ivy League includes the following schools:
- Brown University
- Columbia University
- Cornell University
- Dartmouth College
- Harvard University
- Princeton University
- University of Pennsylvania | UPenn
- Yale University
Attending an Ivy can lead to career success—for example, Princeton’s Class of 2023 had an average salary of $89,144, considerably higher than the national average. That said, many of the schools below can compete with the Ivies in selectivity, outcomes, and overall rankings.
15 “Ivy League” Schools in California
If you want to attend an Ivy without dealing with the cold and snow of a Northeastern campus, consider adding one of these top California colleges to your list.
1. Stanford University
Location: Stanford, CA
Acceptance Rate: 4%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1510-1570 SAT/34-35 ACT
Undergraduate Enrollment: 7,904
Stanford is often called the “Ivy of the West,” and for good reason. Just how prestigious is Stanford? It’s commonly grouped with Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and MIT—known together as HYPSM—which many think are the best schools in the country.
Stanford students are ensured attention from their professors; the university boasts a student-faculty ratio of 6-to-1 and reports that almost 70% of its classes have fewer than 20 undergraduates.
Popular majors include computer and information sciences, engineering, and physical sciences—the school is also known for its laboratory and research opportunities. Need another reason to apply to Stanford? The university’s freshman retention rate is 98%, suggesting that student satisfaction is incredibly high.
2. California Institute of Technology | Caltech
Location: Pasadena, CA
Acceptance Rate: 3%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 987
Caltech has a mission to “expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education.” To that end, the school encourages undergrads to participate in research activities throughout the school year and even during the summer.
Caltech is divided into six academic divisions:
- Biology & Biological Engineering
- Chemistry & Chemical Engineering
- Engineering & Applied Science
- Geological & Planetary Sciences
- Humanities & Social Sciences
- Psychics, Mathematics & Astronomy
Caltech also offers an Interdisciplinary Studies Program (ISP) wherein students can design their own curricula featuring Caltech courses, research, and independent study. Caltech is small in size, but has a history of big accomplishments—48 faculty and alumni have been awarded the Nobel Prize.
3. Pomona College
Location: Claremont, CA
Acceptance Rate: 7%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1500-1550 SAT/33-35 ACT
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,766
Pomona College is the founding member of the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of seven small institutions with their own student bodies, curricular emphasis, and cultures, but together offering university-level services and facilities. For example, Pomona students can take classes and participate in extracurricular activities at member institutions.
Pomona prioritizes experiential learning—the college offers both local and international internship opportunities. Approximately half of Pomona undergrads study abroad, participating in one of the college’s 71 programs in almost 40 countries.
4. Claremont McKenna College | CMC
Location: Claremont, CA
Acceptance Rate: 10%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1490-1550 SAT/33-35 ACT
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,390
Claremont McKenna is another member of the Claremont Colleges. It’s also commonly ranked among the “happiest colleges” in the nation, and the one that holds the distinction of having the happiest students. Popular majors at CMC range from econometrics to experimental psychology, highlighting the wide range of academic options available to students.
CMC places a focus on experiential learning—90% of students participate in an internship, and an exceptionally high number engage in undergraduate research.
5. University of Southern California | USC
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Acceptance Rate: 10%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1450-1530 SAT/32-35 ACT
Undergraduate Enrollment: 21,023
California’s oldest private research university, USC is known for being home to the largest and best film school in the country. The school also earns high marks for its occupational therapy, psychology, and teacher education programs.
USC undergrads are afforded a number of opportunities outside the classroom. Students can pursue research as early as their first year. The university also offers study abroad programs in 130 cities in 50 countries.
While USC has built a reputation for its excellent academic offerings, it’s also known as one of the country’s best party schools, thanks in part to its strong Greek life and active social scene.
6. Harvey Mudd College
Location: Claremont, CA
Acceptance Rate: 13%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1510-1560 SAT/34-36 ACT
Undergraduate Enrollment: 921
Another member of the Claremont Colleges, Harvey Mudd strives to educate the next generation of engineers, scientists, and mathematicians. However, prospective applicants should note that the school also offers plenty of courses in social sciences and humanities, as well as an Independent Study Program for students who want to design their own majors.
Harvey Mudd has a low 8-to-1 student-faculty ratio, ensuring undergraduates receive plenty of attention. Outside of the classroom, the school offers hundreds of clubs, with access to hundreds more available through the Claremont Colleges.
7. University of California, Berkeley | UC Berkeley
Location: Berkeley, CA
Acceptance Rate: 11%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 33,469
Although UC Berkeley isn’t a member of the Ivy League, it’s among a group of colleges commonly thought of as the “Public Ivies,” a collection of public universities known for their rigorous academics, selective admissions, and overall prestige.
Berkeley is made up of 14 schools and colleges, with specialties ranging from optometry to environmental design. California residents benefit from a reasonable in-state tuition cost—they can attend UC Berkeley for around $17,00 a year—while out-of-state students must pay an additional Nonresident Supplemental Tuition of $37,602.
On campus, Cal Berkeley students enjoy access to a 12 million-volume library and more than 1,200 extracurriculars, including a large public service center.
8. University of California, Los Angeles | UCLA
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Acceptance Rate: 9%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 33,471
How appealing is UCLA? Consider that it commonly gets more applications for admission than any other school in the nation. UCLA is a great choice for students who plan to enter college undecided—the school boasts more than 3,800 courses in over 125 major programs.
Along with exploring one of the country’s largest metropolises, Bruins can enjoy hundreds of student clubs and organizations, including uncommon selections like the Disney Club and 1girl at UCLA, which enables female students to mentor middle school girls from local schools.
9. Scripps College
Location: Claremont, CA
Acceptance Rate: 38%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1450-1520 SAT/31-34 ACT
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,117
Scripps College is an all-women’s college located right at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. The college offers highly-ranked programs in the humanities, ranging from art history to music to performance. It’s frequently listed as one of the nation’s most beautiful campuses, and as such, many students live in on-campus housing for their entire four-year run.
The school also features very personal learning experiences for students, boasting a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio. As another member of the Claremont Colleges, students have access to the resources of the other schools, which gives them the option to expand their social circles, academically challenge themselves, and never run out of opportunities.
10. Santa Clara University
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Acceptance Rate: 48%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1360-1480 SAT/31-33 ACT
Undergraduate Enrollment: 6,577
Located right in the heart of Silicon Valley, students at Santa Clara have access to the opportunities and internships that come with it, making it easy to see why the most popular majors are in business and engineering.
A Jesuit institution, Santa Clara combines high-tech innovation with a commitment to social consciousness—they challenge their students to make the world a more sustainable and humane place. Research activity is prevalent across all fields of study.
11. Pitzer College
Location: Claremont, CA
Acceptance Rate: 25%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,242
As another member of the Claremont Colleges, students at Pitzer College have access to the resources of fellow members like Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, and Scripps, while enjoying a smaller and personalized student experience.
Several things distinguish Pitzer from other colleges. For instance, 100% of Pitzer’s tenured track professors hold a PhD in their field, and 100% of classes are taught by faculty, making it no surprise that Pitzer is commonly a top producer of Fulbright Scholars. This can also be attributed to consistently small class sizes, with an average of only 15 students. And, boosted by a student-to-faculty ratio of 10-to-1, no student at Pitzer will be overlooked.
Pitzer students are known to explore off campus—more than half of students study abroad about 40% of students take classes at other schools within the Claremont Colleges.
12. University of California, San Diego
Location: La Jolla, CA
Acceptance Rate: 27%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 34,955
Located right off the coast, UC San Diego offers students more than 150 different undergraduate majors, over 600 student organizations, and an abundance of research opportunities. It’s also becoming a leader in innovation—its research program has generated more than 400 invention disclosures and 90 new U.S. patents.
UC San Diego is also a destination for culture. It’s home to everything from the Dr. Suess Collection to the UC San Diego Stuart Collection to a vibrant art scene in the surrounding San Diego area.
13. Soka University of America
Location: Aliso Viejo, CA
Acceptance Rate: 44%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1345-1493 SAT
Undergraduate Enrollment: 464
Soka University is a private university with campuses in California and Japan. Consequently, the university places a strong emphasis on teaching students about global citizenship and intercultural understanding. It has the smallest student body of any school on this list, meaning an education at Soka is incredibly specialized and individualized.
While the school is renowned for its interdisciplinary liberal arts education, the curriculum is best known for the Peace Studies program. Classes at Soka often tackle and engage with topics related to peace, conflict, and justice. Students will learn conflict resolution strategies, the history of human rights, and the ethics of peace.
14. Occidental College
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Acceptance Rate: 44%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1400-1495 SAT/31-34 ACT
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,811
As one of the only schools on this list located in the heart of Los Angeles, Occidental College immerses students in the city’s culture while also providing them with extensive experience in their field. Despite the college’s population totaling less than 2,000, it offers more than 40 majors—meaning most majors have graduating class sizes of no more than 25.
Occidental offers a range of specialized programs for driven students, including the Kahane United Nations Program, which provides New York–based internships at UN organizations and related government agencies.
15. University of California, Irvine
Location: Irvine, CA
Acceptance Rate: 29%
Middle 50% SAT/ACT: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 30,204
UC Irvine is home to one of the best Honors Colleges in California, a top-ranking philosophy program, and sizable engineering and pre-med programs—the UCI Medical Center consistently ranks as one of the best hospitals in the country.
UC Irvine’s most defining feature is its location. Just minutes from Orange County’s beaches, the campus is centered around Aldrich Park, a spacious green hub that shapes its open, inviting layout.
What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?
Many of the schools listed above are extremely selective. That said, your odds of admission into one of these stellar schools depend on the strength of your profile. CollegeVine can help you better understand your chances of acceptance. Our free chancing engine uses data points like grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities to estimate your odds of getting into these California schools, along with hundreds of other colleges across the country—helping you build an informed college list and see how you stack up against other applicants.
