Guest Columnist

 

Diana Polk

2027’s Best Colleges in California

With the first “early decision” college-application deadline looming on November 1, and tuition plus room and board at a four-year college costing $31,000 - $65,000 per year, the personal-finance company WalletHub today released its reports x help college-bound seniors make the most informed school choices.

WalletHub compared nearly 740 higher-education institutions in the U.S. based on 30 key measures grouped into seven categories, such as Student Selectivity, Cost & Financing and Career Outcomes. The data set ranges from student-faculty ratios to graduation rates to salaries after graduation.

Top 10 Colleges & Universities in California

1. California Institute of Technology   6. Claremont McKenna College
2. Stanford University   7. University of California-San Diego
3. Pomona College   8. University of Southern California
4. Harvey Mudd College   9. University of California-Irvine
5. University of California-Berkeley   10. University of California-Los Angeles

With that in mind, here’s a closer look at some of the top schools and how each performed in certain metrics:
 
School Snapshot: California Institute of Technology (1 = Best; 15 = Average; 30 = Worst):
  • 1st – Admission Rate
  • 19th – Net Cost
  • 1st – Student-Faculty Ratio
  • 25th – On-Campus Crime
  • 6th – Gender & Racial Diversity
  • 1st – Graduation Rate
  • 1st – Post-Attendance Median Salary
 
School Snapshot: Stanford University (1 = Best; 15 = Average; 30 = Worst):
  • 2nd – Admission Rate
  • 20th – Net Cost
  • 2nd – Student-Faculty Ratio
  • 14th – On-Campus Crime
  • 1st – Gender & Racial Diversity
  • 5th – Graduation Rate
  • 1st – Post-Attendance Median Salary

School Snapshot: Pomona College (1 = Best; 15 = Average; 30 = Worst):
  • 3rd – Admission Rate
  • 17th – Net Cost
  • 3rd – Student-Faculty Ratio
  • 29th – On-Campus Crime
  • 3rd – Gender & Racial Diversity
  • 2nd – Graduation Rate
  • 17th – Post-Attendance Median Salary
 
To view the full reports, please visit: 

Best Colleges & Universities Overall: https://wallethub.com/edu/e/college-rankings/40750

Best Colleges: https://wallethub.com/edu/e/best-colleges-in-the-us-ranking/40748

Best Universities: https://wallethub.com/edu/e/best-universities-in-usa-ranking/39704