List of colleges and universities in California

This is a list of colleges and universities in California.

Federal institutions

Graduate institutions Naval Postgraduate School (Monterey)

Other academic institutions Defense Language Institute (Monterey)

State institutions

Two-year institutions

See: List of California Community Colleges

Four-year institutions

University of California

Name City County Enrollment(Fall 2024) Founded Athletics University of California, Berkeley Berkeley Alameda45,8821869 NCAA Div. I (ACC, MPSF, America East) University of California, Davis Davis Yolo40,0651905 NCAA Div. I (Big Sky, MPSF, Big West, America East) University of California, Irvine Irvine Orange37,2971965 NCAA Div. I (Big West, MPSF, GCC) University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles Los Angeles47,3351882* NCAA Div. I (Big Ten, MPSF) University of California, Merced Merced Merced9,1102005 NCAA Div. II (CCAA) University of California, Riverside Riverside Riverside26,3841954 NCAA Div. I (Big West) University of California, San Diego San Diego San Diego44,2561960 NCAA Div. I (Big West, MPSF) University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Santa Barbara26,1331891** NCAA Div. I (Big West, MPSF, GCC) University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz Santa Cruz19,9381965 NCAA Div. III (C2C, ASC) *University of California, Los Angeles was founded in 1882 as the southern branch of the California State Normal School. It joined the University of California system in 1919 as the southern branch of the University of California.

**University of California, Santa Barbara was founded in 1891 as an independent teachers' college. It joined the University of California system in 1944.

California State University

Name City County Enrollment(Fall 2024) FoundedAthletics California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo23,0691901* NCAA Div. I (Big West, Big Sky, Pac-12, MPSF) California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt Arcata Humboldt6,2371913 NCAA Div. II (CCAA, GNAC) California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Pomona Los Angeles27,6361938** NCAA Div. II (CCAA) California State University, Bakersfield Bakersfield Kern10,4191965 NCAA Div. I (Big West, MPSF, Pac-12) California State University Channel Islands Camarillo Ventura5,5922002 None California State University, Chico Chico Butte15,2571887 NCAA Div. II (CCAA) California State University, Dominguez Hills Carson Los Angeles15,1821960 NCAA Div. II (CCAA) California State University, East Bay Hayward Alameda12,3261957 NCAA Div. II (CCAA, WWPA) California State University, Fresno Fresno Fresno24,4271911 NCAA Div. I (Mountain West, Big 12, MPSF, GCC, NCEA) California State University, Fullerton Fullerton Orange43,6621957 NCAA Div. I (Big West, MPSF) California State University, Long Beach Long Beach Los Angeles42,0031949 NCAA Div. I (Big West, MPSF, GCC) California State University, Los Angeles Los Angeles Los Angeles23,1631947 NCAA Div. II (CCAA, PacWest) California State University, Monterey Bay Seaside-Marina Monterey7,7131994 NCAA Div. II (CCAA) California State University, Northridge Northridge Los Angeles38,3131958 NCAA Div. I (Big West, MPSF) California State University, Sacramento Sacramento Sacramento31,9431947 NCAA Div. I (Big Sky, WAC, AAC, Big West) California State University, San Bernardino San Bernardino San Bernardino18,4921965 NCAA Div. II (CCAA) California State University San Marcos San Marcos San Diego16,2371988 NCAA Div. II (CCAA) California State University, Stanislaus Turlock Stanislaus9,7241957 NCAA Div. II (CCAA, PacWest) San Diego State University San Diego San Diego41,1371897 NCAA Div. I (Mountain West) San Francisco State University San Francisco San Francisco22,5631899 NCAA Div. II (CCAA) San Jose State University San Jose Santa Clara37,6611857 NCAA Div. I (Mountain West, WAC, MPSF, WCC, Southland) Sonoma State University Rohnert Park Sonoma5,8911960 NCAA Div. II (CCAA) *California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo was founded as a vocational high school. It became a vocational school in 1924, and then started awarding bachelor's degrees in 1940.

**California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, was founded as a southern branch of California State Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo in 1938, but became independent in 1966.

State graduate institutions Name City County Founded California State University, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Moss Landing Monterey1966 University of California College of the Law, San Francisco San Francisco San Francisco1878 University of California, San Francisco San Francisco San Francisco1899

Private institutions