50 best colleges on the West Coast

Canva With thousands of colleges and universities in the United States, narrowing down the field can seem impossible for prospective students. The West Coast alone has a bevy of top-rated state schools and excellent private universities, ranging in student-body size from a few hundred to tens of thousands. Using Niche’s 2023 Best Colleges in America list, Stacker found the best 50 schools on the West Coast. Niche’s rankings use data from the Department of Education on academics, admissions, and student life, along with reviews from current students and alumni. Four-year colleges in California, Oregon, and Washington state are included. Whether you dream of spending the next four years lolling on a Southern California beach, spending weekends in trendy Seattle, or exploring nature around Portland, this list provides a wealth of options. You can pick your best fit based on categories like location, net price, and median earnings range. College search: handled. You may also like: States spending the most and least per student on education #50. University of Puget Sound Ian Dewar Photography // Shutterstock – Location: Tacoma, Washington – Acceptance rate: 87% – Net price: $38,127 – SAT Range: 1110-1330 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $52,700 – Overall rank: #403 #49. Willamette University Michael Warwick // Shutterstock – Location: Salem, Oregon – Acceptance rate: 80% – Net price: $37,913 – SAT Range: 1100-1330 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $51,100 – Overall rank: #394 #48. University of Washington – Tacoma Colleen Michaels // Shutterstock – Location: Tacoma, Washington – Acceptance rate: 86% – Net price: $10,113 – SAT Range: 960-1180 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $57,700 – Overall rank: #389 #47. Azusa Pacific University Matt Gush // Shutterstock – Location: Azusa, California – Acceptance rate: 94% – Net price: $31,367 – SAT Range: 1030-1260 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $51,100 – Overall rank: #378 #46. DigiPen Institute of Technology Canva – Location: Redmond, Washington – Acceptance rate: 38% – Net price: $36,832 – SAT Range: 1140-1340 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $80,200 – Overall rank: #374 You may also like: 25 of the best TV shows set in high school #45. Northwest University Canva – Location: Kirkland, Washington – Acceptance rate: 93% – Net price: $21,825 – SAT Range: 1010-1230 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $41,300 – Overall rank: #342 #44. The Master’s University Canva – Location: Santa Clarita, California – Acceptance rate: 60% – Net price: $29,567 – SAT Range: 990-1250 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $41,700 – Overall rank: #335 #43. California Baptist University JBai_photo // Shutterstock – Location: Riverside, California – Acceptance rate: 80% – Net price: $27,883 – SAT Range: 990-1210 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $42,600 – Overall rank: #327 #42. University of the Pacific Canva – Location: Stockton, California – Acceptance rate: 71% – Net price: $32,780 – SAT Range: 1080-1340 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $71,700 – Overall rank: #319 #41. Seattle Pacific University Ian Dewar Photography // Shutterstock – Location: Seattle – Acceptance rate: 91% – Net price: $28,367 – SAT Range: 1010-1160 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $49,100 – Overall rank: #315 You may also like: 50 best college movies #40. Stanbridge University – Orange County Canva – Location: Irvine, California – Acceptance rate: 35% – Net price: $24,969 – SAT Range: — – Median earnings six years after graduation: No data available – Overall rank: #309 #39. Vanguard University of Southern California Canva – Location: Costa Mesa, California – Acceptance rate: 50% – Net price: $21,667 – SAT Range: 950-1140 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $41,800 – Overall rank: #306 #38. Whitworth University Canva – Location: Spokane, Washington – Acceptance rate: 91% – Net price: $25,785 – SAT Range: 1050-1270 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $42,100 – Overall rank: #304 #37. University of California – Riverside Therodrigoc // Shutterstock – Location: Riverside, California – Acceptance rate: 66% – Net price: $11,948 – SAT Range: 1080-1280 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $49,700 – Overall rank: #277 #36. Gonzaga University Lori Butcher // Shutterstock – Location: Spokane, Washington – Acceptance rate: 73% – Net price: $36,880 – SAT Range: 1160-1350 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $56,100 – Overall rank: #273 You may also like: How many of these 50 GED test questions can you get right? #35. Biola University Steve Cukrov // Shutterstock – Location: La Mirada, California – Acceptance rate: 64% – Net price: $34,713 – SAT Range: 1070-1290 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $44,500 – Overall rank: #268 #34. Seattle University VDB Photos // Shutterstock – Location: Seattle, Washington – Acceptance rate: 83% – Net price: $36,843 – SAT Range: 1130-1330 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $56,500 – Overall rank: #259 #33. Whitman College Canva – Location: Walla Walla, Washington – Acceptance rate: 54% – Net price: $38,989 – SAT Range: 1230-1430 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $51,300 – Overall rank: #247 #32. University of Oregon Joshua Rainey Photography // Shutterstock – Location: Eugene, Oregon – Acceptance rate: 84% – Net price: $17,646 – SAT Range: 1090-1290 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $44,800 – Overall rank: #246 #31. University of San Francisco Lissandra Melo // Shutterstock – Location: San Francisco, California – Acceptance rate: 70% – Net price: $42,801 – SAT Range: 1140-1330 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $62,300 – Overall rank: #207 You may also like: 2-year degrees that go on to earn the least money #30. Chapman University Steve Cukrov // Shutterstock – Location: Orange, California – Acceptance rate: 58% – Net price: $44,327 – SAT Range: 1170-1350 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $54,500 – Overall rank: #196 #29. Washington State University Steve Smith // Shutterstock – Location: Pullman, Washington – Acceptance rate: 80% – Net price: $17,931 – SAT Range: 1020-1210 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $50,600 – Overall rank: #193 #28. Lewis & Clark College Sara Hulan // Shutterstock – Location: Portland, Oregon – Acceptance rate: 80% – Net price: $37,478 – SAT Range: 1210-1380 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $46,200 – Overall rank: #187 #27. San Diego State University Ken Wolter // Shutterstock – Location: San Diego – Acceptance rate: 37% – Net price: $13,192 – SAT Range: 1090-1300 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $51,000 – Overall rank: #184 #26. Oregon State University Bob Pool // Shutterstock – Location: Corvallis, Oregon – Acceptance rate: 82% – Net price: $21,444 – SAT Range: 1080-1310 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $49,600 – Overall rank: #179 You may also like: States where high schoolers are least likely to graduate #25. Point Loma Nazarene University Roaming Panda Photos // Shutterstock – Location: San Diego – Acceptance rate: 84% – Net price: $34,644 – SAT Range: 1100-1290 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $50,900 – Overall rank: #175 #24. California State University – Long Beach Underawesternsky // Shutterstock – Location: Long Beach, California – Acceptance rate: 42% – Net price: $10,568 – SAT Range: 1020-1240 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $48,100 – Overall rank: #168 #23. University of Portland Canva – Location: Portland, Oregon – Acceptance rate: 77% – Net price: $37,317 – SAT Range: 1130-1320 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $58,800 – Overall rank: #159 #22. California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) – San Luis Obispo Claudine Van Massenhove // Shutterstock – Location: San Luis Obispo, California – Acceptance rate: 38% – Net price: $20,491 – SAT Range: 1240-1440 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $66,900 – Overall rank: #152 #21. University of San Diego Kit Leong // Shutterstock – Location: San Diego, California – Acceptance rate: 59% – Net price: $37,547 – SAT Range: 1190-1370 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $60,000 – Overall rank: #146 You may also like: Best colleges in America #20. Loyola Marymount University Canva – Location: Los Angeles – Acceptance rate: 50% – Net price: $48,758 – SAT Range: 1210-1390 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $61,300 – Overall rank: #145 #19. Occidental College Kit Leong // Shutterstock – Location: Los Angeles – Acceptance rate: 41% – Net price: $41,102 – SAT Range: 1270-1460 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $50,600 – Overall rank: #129 #18. Pepperdine University Benny Marty // Shutterstock – Location: Malibu, California – Acceptance rate: 42% – Net price: $46,550 – SAT Range: 1200-1410 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $65,500 – Overall rank: #116 #17. Reed College Png Studio Photography // Shutterstock – Location: Portland, Oregon – Acceptance rate: 42% – Net price: $33,980 – SAT Range: 1320-1520 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $42,200 – Overall rank: #107 #16. Santa Clara University Sundry Photography // Shutterstock – Location: Santa Clara, California – Acceptance rate: 51% – Net price: $48,284 – SAT Range: 1270-1450 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $72,600 – Overall rank: #106 You may also like: 30 celebs you didn’t know were Ivy Leaguers #15. Scripps College Jim_Brown_Photography // Shutterstock – Location: Claremont, California – Acceptance rate: 35% – Net price: $40,259 – SAT Range: 1320-1480 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $54,100 – Overall rank: #102 #14. Pitzer College Barbara Kalbfleisch // Shutterstock – Location: Claremont, California – Acceptance rate: 17% – Net price: $30,095 – SAT Range: 1300-1450 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $48,700 – Overall rank: #91 #13. University of California – Santa Barbara VDB Photos // Shutterstock – Location: Santa Barbara, California – Acceptance rate: 37% – Net price: $17,223 – SAT Range: 1230-1460 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $55,300 – Overall rank: #89 #12. University of California – Davis Suchan // Shutterstock – Location: Davis, California – Acceptance rate: 46% – Net price: $17,026 – SAT Range: 1160-1400 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $58,200 – Overall rank: #85 #11. University of California – San Diego Kapi Ng // Shutterstock – Location: La Jolla, California – Acceptance rate: 37% – Net price: $15,222 – SAT Range: 1270-1480 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $59,900 – Overall rank: #76 You may also like: Best boarding schools in America #10. University of Washington VDB Photos // Shutterstock – Location: Seattle – Acceptance rate: 56% – Net price: $9,661 – SAT Range: 1200-1470 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $57,700 – Overall rank: #70 #9. University of California – Irvine The Image Party // Shutterstock – Location: Irvine, California – Acceptance rate: 30% – Net price: $13,106 – SAT Range: 1230-1430 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $58,400 – Overall rank: #66 #8. University of California – Berkeley David A Litman // Shutterstock – Location: Berkeley, California – Acceptance rate: 17% – Net price: $19,329 – SAT Range: 1310-1530 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $64,700 – Overall rank: #48 #7. Claremont McKenna College Jim_Brown_Photography // Shutterstock – Location: Claremont, California – Acceptance rate: 13% – Net price: $22,004 – SAT Range: 1330-1500 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $72,900 – Overall rank: #29 #6. University of Southern California Hanson L // Shutterstock – Location: Los Angeles – Acceptance rate: 16% – Net price: $39,759 – SAT Range: 1340-1530 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $74,000 – Overall rank: #28 You may also like: Can you pass this 8th grade assessment test? #5. University of California – Los Angeles David A Litman // Shutterstock – Location: Los Angeles – Acceptance rate: 14% – Net price: $16,474 – SAT Range: — – Median earnings six years after graduation: $60,700 – Overall rank: #24 #4. Pomona College Jim_Brown_Photography // Shutterstock – Location: Claremont, California – Acceptance rate: 9% – Net price: $30,392 – SAT Range: 1390-1540 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $58,100 – Overall rank: #20 #3. Harvey Mudd College Jim_Brown_Photography // Shutterstock – Location: Claremont, California – Acceptance rate: 18% – Net price: $37,192 – SAT Range: 1490-1570 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $88,800 – Overall rank: #18 #2. California Institute of Technology Ken Wolter // Shutterstock – Location: Pasadena, California – Acceptance rate: 7% – Net price: $26,591 – SAT Range: 1530-1580 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $85,900 – Overall rank: #7 #1. Stanford University Canva – Location: Stanford, California – Acceptance rate: 5% – Net price: $20,023 – SAT Range: 1420-1570 – Median earnings six years after graduation: $94,000 – Overall rank: #2 You may also like: Biggest HBCUs in America