Top Value Colleges in California
Top Value California Colleges
Below you will find a list of the top value colleges in California that we found to provide the highest academic and career-based value for students. In our study, we utilized a number of data sources from the US Census Bureau to the US Department of Education coupled with student and alumni feedback to ascertain the important elements of value in a college education. Our team collected college data and arrived at the top California colleges for you to research further. Remember to use your best judgment and prioritize your academic goals and career aspirations to narrow down your list of top colleges.
List of Top Value California Colleges
Claremont McKenna College (Claremont, CA) is a private liberal arts college under the Claremont Colleges consortium together with Pomona College and Scripps College. It was established in 1946. In its early years, the college focuses on undergraduate education. It was founded as a men’s college and eventually became coeducational in 1976. Through the years, Claremont has expanded and now offers several graduate studies to interested students. Programs are designed to help students in developing their skills for their employment or graduate studies. It offers specialized programs like Religious Studies and Military Science. Students also can take one of two domestic study programs located in Washington D.C. and Silicon Valley. In addition, the college fosters an active research environment. Financial aid and scholarships are available for qualified students.
University of California – Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA) is the second oldest campus established under the University of California system and it was established in 1919. UCLA has been considered by many as a public Ivy League university. UCLA has continuously been ranking as one of the best public universities in the United States. UCLA also manages a Health System including UCLA Medical Center, ranking as one of the Best Hospitals according to U.S. News & World Report. The university offers a long list of courses across a wide range of disciplines. UCLA faculty include Nobel Prize winners, Fulbright Scholars, and a Fields Medal recipient. Freshmen, transferees, and international students are admitted to the university. Aside from academic programs, UCLA is also active in research, community engagements, arts & culture, and other non-academic activities. Financial assistance can be applied at UCLA.
Harvey Mudd College (Claremont, CA) is a private liberal arts college chartered in 1955 but officially opened to the public in 1957. It is a range of programs, but it highlights programs focusing on engineering, science, and mathematics. After several years, Harvey Mudd expanded and added new classrooms and dorms. The school shares its facilities and campus with four other Claremont Colleges. The curriculum permits students to take courses from other colleges. Harvey Mudd has been constantly recognized as one of the best colleges in the country by the U.S. News & World Report. Aside from academic programs, Harvey Mudd also offers study abroad programs and manages a variety of centers and sites where students can enhance their skills and knowledge. Clinic and research programs are also available. On-campus residence, community engagements, and career services are offered at Harvey Mudd.
Concorde Career Institute-San Diego (San Diego, CA) is a small college offering a wide variety of health and medical professional programs. The institute grants associate’s, and bachelor’s degrees. It also offers diploma courses. Some of the popular programs offered on the San Diego campus are dental assistant, medical assistant, physical therapist assistant, surgical assistant, and more. Concorde also offers online programs. San Diego campus was founded in 1966. It houses a learning resource center, labs, and a career/student services center. All campuses offer financial aid to students.
Pacific College (Costa Mesa, CA) was established in 1993 to provide vocational education for students who want a career in business or medicine as well as employment for professionals. In 2007, the college started awarding Associate of Science Degrees. In 2009, the college expanded and established satellite campuses across the Los Angeles area. Today, the college awards undergraduate degrees and a master’s degree in Family Nurse Practitioner. The college is open to interested international students who qualify for admissions at Pacific College. Financial aid, scholarships, and student loans are available to students who need assistance.
Concorde Career Institute-San Bernardino (San Bernardino, CA) is a small college offering a wide variety of health and medical professional programs. The institute grants associate’s, and bachelor’s degrees. It also offers diploma courses. Some of the popular programs offered on the San Bernardino campus are dental assistant, medical assistant, physical therapist assistant, surgical assistant, and more. Concorde was originally founded in 1964. It houses labs, a learning resource center, career and student service centers, and others. It also provides community service through a dental hygiene clinic, providing hands-on training for students.
MTI College (Sacramento, CA) is a vocational college that addresses the needs of various industries through its trained and equipped graduates. It was founded in 1965 and it provides education in information technology, law, business, health care, and cosmetology. MTI provides job assistance to students after graduation. The college also fosters a small class size allowing more teacher-student interaction. The college is affiliated with Paul Mitchell, Microsoft, the American Bar Association and has accredited programs including its phlebotomy training program.
Platt College-Aurora (Aurora, CO) is a for-profit college that offers an exclusive degree program. It offers a 36-month Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse. Students who pass the examination can immediately assume a role in the industry as Registered Nurse. Platt College was founded in 1879 in Missouri, eventually, it was moved to Aurora in 1890. The college believes that student comes first, and it is highlighted through the curriculum and activities.
California Institute of Technology (Pasadena, CA) is a private university established in 1891. Caltech has built its great reputation in science, engineering, and pure and applied science. The university has been consistently ranking among the best both locally and internationally. It has been recognized as the best school for Engineering & Technology and Physical Sciences. Caltech manages and operates NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The institute also manages large-scale research facilities such as the Seismological Laboratory and a global network of astronomical observatories. Caltech offers undergraduate majors and graduate studies. It also delivers education online and offers executive education for professionals who aim to be leaders in their fields.
Pomona College (Claremont, CA) is a private liberal arts college established in 1887. It focuses on its undergraduate programs in arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Pomona College has been ranked as the best liberal arts college in the United States. The college is affiliated with other Claremont Colleges consortium allowing students to take up a few courses from other member schools. Admissions in the college are highly competitive because it was reported that the college has the lowest acceptance rate of any U.S. liberal arts college. The college also fosters a small teacher-student ratio allowing more individualized learning. Financial aid is available plus on-campus residential housing is open for qualified students.
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering (Needham, MA) is a private institute that specializes in engineering. The school is popular for students who want to pursue an engineering program. It is also distinguished because of its small size and project-based curriculum which is a great advantage for its field of expertise. The college also houses design studios to the robotics labs to helps students further develop their skills. Olin also offers undergraduate research opportunities as well as graduate studies. The school gives out Olin Scholarship grants covering half of the total tuition fee of the admitted students. Olin College only has limited enrollment space, thus, only 16% of thousands of applicants are admitted. Resident halls are also open for students to avail themselves.
University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA) was founded in 1880 and is considered the oldest private university in California. extends its highly recognized academic programs across two main campuses and several educational centers located in Southern California. USC is also one of the oldest research universities in the United States. The university’s strong medical-health and science programs are renowned because of their contributions to discoveries and innovations. It has a long list of undergraduate majors and a range of graduate and professional programs. Online graduate studies are also offered at USC. Students who are interested to get admitted to the university can use USC’s summer programs as steppingstones for their dream university. It also has an International Academy focused on catering to international students. USC is also active in research, patient care, community programs, and arts.
University of California-Berkeley (Berkeley, CA) is a public research university under the University of California system founded in 1868. It was the first public university in CA. UC-Berkeley has established its academic and research reputation across the United States and the world. The university offers high-ranking academic programs. UC-Berkeley is also active in research, it hosts the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute and the Space Sciences Laboratory and is affiliated with several national laboratories. The university housed a long list of discoveries and innovations that made a mark in U.S. and world history. UCB awards undergraduate and graduate degrees including doctoral and professional degrees. Study abroad programs are also available. Advising and tutoring is open for UCB students. Students can admit as part-time or full-time students.
Los Angeles ORT College (Los Angeles, CA) is a two-year career school that offered programs in business, healthcare, technology, and ESL. The college also awards high school diplomas to interested students and adults. Unfortunately, the college ceased enrollment of new students on January 31, 2020. Students who were enrolled before the given date were given options to continue their programs for completion or to withdraw or transfer.
Pitzer College (Claremont, CA) is a private residential liberal arts college founded in 1963. It highlights programs in social sciences, behavioral sciences, international programs, and media studies. It was founded as a woman’s college and become coeducational in 1970. It is part of the Claremont College Consortium allowing students to take courses across the four-member colleges. Students also have opportunities to study abroad and be part of international and domestic exchange programs. The college is recognized as one of the top producers of Fulbright US Student Program awardees. The college is open to all students. It does not require SAT or ACT for students applying for admission. It has a wide range of student services and career programs for prospective students to leverage.
Scripps College (Claremont, CA) is a private liberal arts college that focuses on providing undergraduate education. This women’s college was founded in 1926. The liberal arts curriculum allows students to explore and learn from a variety of disciplines and topics. The college highlights humanities and interdisciplinary education. It is consistently ranking among the top colleges in the country, and it is regarded as the most prestigious women’s college in the Western United States. Scripps College is among the top producers of Fulbright students. The college offers cross-college admissions, facilities, and residence halls with other members of the Claremont College Consortium. U.S. News & World Report reported that Scripps College is “more selective” during the admission process.
Universal Beauty School (Sweetwater, FL) owns the Universal Career School which offers a variety of career programs for interested members of the community. The doors of UBS opened to the public in December 1999. The school is known for its cosmetology programs. Allied Health and Accountancy programs are also offered. It has an associate degree program in Nursing and a Home Health Aide (HHA) program. Clinical/lab experience services are also required to train students for necessary skills. The school offers flexible class schedules to address the needs of every student. It also provides career preparation assistance to all students and graduates. In addition, financial aids are available to students who qualify.
University of California-San Diego (San Diego, CA) is a public research university that offers a long list of undergraduate and graduate programs. UCSD is considered one of the country’s Public Ivies. It is organized into seven undergraduate residential colleges, four academic divisions, and seven graduate and professional schools. The university also manages UC San Diego Health. It is the only academic health system in the region. It serves an environment that provides patient care, conducts medical research and educates future health care professionals. In addition, UC-San Diego also operates 19 organized research units. The university offers academic programs, extension studies, and public programs. It also manages a digital learning platform.
Modern Technology School (Fountain Valley, CA) is a learning institution focused on providing education in the Diagnostic Healthcare field. Since 1981, it has been providing diagnostic healthcare training, educational classes, courses, CEC & certificate programs to interested students. MTS provides hands-on training to students preparing them to be licensed, and competent medical diagnostic professionals. The school also fosters a small class size allowing a more intimate learning experience. Students have the opportunities for financial aid. They can also enjoy job placement assistance.
University of California-Irvine (Irvine, CA) is an institution of higher learning and research, and one of the fastest-growing campuses in the University of California system. UCI is known for its top-rated academic programs and professional schools. UCI is one of the leading universities in research and interdisciplinary programs. It was established in 1965 and has been awarding undergraduate and graduate degrees since then. It was established to cater the growing number of enrollments under the UC system. The university also manages a teaching hospital, UC Irvine Medical Center. The university also hosts a long list of research organizations. This poses opportunities for undergraduates and graduate students to provide assistance to faculty members. Financial aid and housing are available in the university.
Additional College Research
For additional information about MatchCollege, visit our world-class college search tools or locate the top degree programs available online. In addition, you may find it useful to start with our award-winning list of college and degree rankings for this academic year. Be your own advocate and invest the time needed today to find the best college program for you.
