Best colleges in Los Angeles

Welcome to “La La Land”

The City of Angels

With over 110 accredited colleges and universities to choose from, you’ll have your pick in Los Angeles.* The city not only attracts students from all 50 US states but also from over 100 other countries.* As you might have already guessed, film and media, telecommunications and entertainment, and fashion and apparel are major areas of study in Los Angeles. However, you might be surprised to learn that international trade, engineering, agriculture, aerospace, and aviation are just as popular, with thousands of companies located within the city walls.* Other hot job markets include the fitness and health industry with a beach body mentality all year around and the organic Californian minds wanting to “go green”.* LA has the world’s 3rd largest economic center, following Tokyo and New York City, so you’ll be sure to find your dream job somewhere in the city.*

LA is one of the most populated cities in the US, as well as one of the most ethnically diverse.* It is also often referred to as the “Creative Capitol of the World,” known for its dancers, musicians, actors, writers, artists, filmmakers, etc.* Music lovers may enjoy the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, or the Los Angeles Opera House.* Must see for movie buffs are Universal Studios, the Hollywood Sign, and the annual Academy Awards.* Sports fanatics can’t miss out on the Dodgers, Lakers, Clippers, or Kings.* And of course, there’s beaches, waterfront sunsets, and surf to keep you busy during your off hours. So, do you think you have what it takes to become an Angel of this city?

Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the US*discoverlosangeles.com *laalmanac.com/education *Wikipedia, “Los Angeles” *losangeles.about.com

Best Four Year Universities in Los Angeles

Harvey Mudd College
Claremont, CA

Harvey Mudd College offers 23 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 227 students graduated with students earning 227 Bachelor's degrees.

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California Institute of Technology offers 93 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 561 students graduated with students earning 218 Bachelor's degrees, 204 Doctoral degrees, and 139 Master's degrees.

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Pomona College
Claremont, CA

Pomona College offers 52 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 364 students graduated with students earning 364 Bachelor's degrees.

Claremont McKenna College offers 58 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 347 students graduated with students earning 329 Bachelor's degrees, and 18 Master's degrees.

The University of Southern California, also known as USC, is a private research institution founded by Robert Widney in 1880. Situated in an urban setting just west of downtown Los Angeles, USC has a current undergraduate enrollment of just over 19,000. USC is very selective in its admission process and is an internationally renowned center for learning and research. USC’s Trojans compete in the PAC-12 and wear cardinal red and gold. 

USC is made up of over twenty undergraduate schools including the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. USC operates on a semester-based academic calendar, and tuition for in-state students and out-of-state students exceeds $55,000 annually, before financial aid. Outside of athletics, USC has a large alumni network in the film industry, with graduates including actors John Wayne, Will Ferrell, Forest Whitaker, and the face of Reading Rainbow, LeVar Burton. 

USC provides its student body with intimate undergraduate classes that are typically 20 students or fewer, which can be ideal for those that lean towards group learning over the lecture format. USC is not only known for its strong academic foundation - the school also operates a globally recognized athletic program. The university has sent student representatives to every Olympic Games since 1912 and has amassed over 250 Olympic medals, which is more than some countries!

Soka University of America
Aliso Viejo, CA

Soka University of America offers 2 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 101 students graduated with students earning 97 Bachelor's degrees, and 4 Master's degrees.

Scripps College
Claremont, CA

Scripps College offers 66 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 260 students graduated with students earning 227 Bachelor's degrees, and 33 Certificates.

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The University of California Los Angeles or UCLA is a public institution that was founded in 1919, and the total undergraduate enrollment for the class of 2021 was just over 30,000. UCLA is situated in an urban setting on a campus that takes up over 419 acres in the vibrant city of Los Angeles. Students at UCLA take classes on a semester-based academic calendar, and tuition for in-state students is roughly a third of the cost that out-of-state students pay, making it a very attractive option for California residents. UCLA tends to offer large, lecture-style undergraduate classes and boasts a graduation rate that exceeds 90%. 

Located in the heart of Los Angeles, California, UCLA is made up of six undergraduate schools, seven professional schools, and four health science programs including a nationally-ranked Arts and Architecture department, School of Medicine, and School of Public Health. UCLA is a public, nonprofit institution that was founded by Ernest Carroll Moore and Edward Dickson through the expansion of the existing Normal School. UCLA’s colors are “true blue” and gold, which represent the Pacific Ocean and gold wildflowers that are local to Southern California. 

UCLA receives the most college applications of any university in the world and is also known as the only leading research institution that was founded in the 20th century. Beyond academics, UCLA athletic teams, known as the Bruins, compete in the PAC-12, with an annual football rivalry with USC. Notable alumni include MLB legend Jackie Robinson and actor James Franco.

The University of California Irvine, or UC Irvine, is a public university founded in 1965 just outside of Los Angeles in downtown Irvine, California. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of about 33,000 students, and the campus a short distance from Newport Beach and the Pacific Ocean. UC Irvine is on a quarter-based academic calendar and, thanks to in-state tuition rates, can be an affordable option for California residents. 

UC Irvine is made up of 13 colleges including the competitive Claire Trevor School for the Arts and the Donald Bren School of Information & Computer Sciences. Students get to choose from a variety of housing options both on and off-campus and participate in a multitude of student activities hosted at the Anteater Plaza on-campus. Students and faculty work together to further UC Irvine’s research and development teams at prestigious research organizations like the Fleishman Lab, the Beckman Laser Institute, and the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience. 

The university offers medium-size classes averaging around 20 students with an 18:1 student-faculty ratio. Beyond academics, students can explore the famous Orange County or head up to Los Angeles to visit iconic tourist attractions like the Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, or view modern art at The Broad Museum. Notable alumni include actor Jon Lovitz, athlete Greg Louganis, and co-writer of the Game of Thrones Series David Benioff.

Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA

Occidental College offers 36 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 486 students graduated with students earning 486 Bachelor's degrees.

Best Community Colleges in Los Angeles

Hacienda La Puente Adult Education offers 17 degree programs. It's a very small, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 142 students graduated with students earning 142 Certificates.

Concorde Career College-Garden Grove offers 8 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 290 students graduated with students earning 158 Certificates, and 132 Associate's degrees.

California Career College
Canoga Park, CA

California Career College offers 3 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2022, 39 students graduated with students earning 39 Associate's degrees.

Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology offers 2 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 193 students graduated with students earning 140 Certificates, and 53 Associate's degrees.

Casa Loma College-Los Angeles offers 5 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 93 students graduated with students earning 93 Associate's degrees.

National Career College
Panorama City, CA

National Career College offers 9 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2022, 204 students graduated with students earning 177 Certificates, and 27 Associate's degrees.

Learnet Academy Inc
Los Angeles, CA

Learnet Academy Inc offers 9 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 18 students graduated with students earning 14 Associate's degrees, 3 Master's degrees, and 1 Bachelor's degree.

Concorde Career College-North Hollywood offers 7 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2022, 309 students graduated with students earning 200 Certificates, and 109 Associate's degrees.

American Career College-Los Angeles offers 9 degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2022, 894 students graduated with students earning 763 Certificates, and 131 Associate's degrees.

Valley College of Medical Careers offers 4 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city.

List of all colleges in Los Angeles

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
Harvey Mudd College Logo Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA
5/5
8 : 1 922
California Institute of Technology Logo California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA
5/5
7 : 1 2,401
Pomona College Logo Pomona College Claremont, CA
5/5
7 : 1 1,716
Claremont McKenna College Logo Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA
5/5
8 : 1 1,389
University of Southern California Logo University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA
5/5
23 : 1 48,945