# Best Biology Colleges in California

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-biology-california

## Methodology

Biology programs in California ranked by outcomes and program concentration

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

California is home to some of the best biology programs in the country, attracting students eager to explore the life sciences. With an average earning potential of $72,501 for graduates, these schools offer a pathway into a rewarding career. As we consider these options, understanding the nuances of each program becomes essential for making an informed choice.

What sets the leading biology colleges apart are their outcomes — specifically, factors like graduation rates, average earnings, and student debt. The schools highlighted below have demonstrated a strong commitment to academic success and post-graduation opportunities. By focusing on earnings and graduation rates, we can see which institutions are not only educating students but also preparing them for a prosperous future.

Take Stanford University and Pomona College, for instance. Stanford graduates earn an impressive $124,080, while Pomona's graduates earn $77,779. However, Pomona has a slightly higher graduation rate at 93% compared to Stanford's 92%. These contrasts illustrate important trade-offs between earning potential and program completion that prospective students should consider as they navigate their choices.

## Key Findings

- Stanford University has the highest average earnings at $124,080.
- Pomona College boasts a graduation rate of 93%, the highest among the top five.
- UCLA graduates see earnings of $82,511, showcasing strong job market outcomes.
- The average debt for graduates across these top programs is around $12,000.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Stanford University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/stanford-university) | Stanford, CA | 92% | $124,080 | $13,807 | $12,000 | 0.1x |
| 2 | [Pomona College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pomona-college) | Claremont, CA | 93% | $77,779 | $19,285 | $11,782 | 0.15x |
| 3 | [Claremont McKenna College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/claremont-mckenna-college) | Claremont, CA | 93% | $104,736 | $28,849 | $13,500 | 0.13x |
| 4 | [California Institute of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-institute-of-technology) | Pasadena, CA | 94% | $128,566 | $16,075 | N/A | N/A |
| 5 | [University of the Pacific](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-the-pacific) | Stockton, CA | 68% | $78,445 | $25,447 | $19,500 | 0.25x |
| 6 | [Scripps College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/scripps-college) | Claremont, CA | 85% | $77,539 | $36,294 | $13,500 | 0.17x |
| 7 | [University of California-San Diego](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-san-diego) | La Jolla, CA | 87% | $84,943 | $12,470 | $15,500 | 0.18x |
| 8 | [University of Southern California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-southern-california) | Los Angeles, CA | 92% | $92,498 | $32,740 | $18,000 | 0.19x |
| 9 | [University of California-Davis](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-davis) | Davis, CA | 85% | $80,838 | $14,741 | $13,000 | 0.16x |
| 10 | [Harvey Mudd College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/harvey-mudd-college) | Claremont, CA | 93% | $138,687 | $35,924 | $25,000 | 0.18x |
| 11 | [University of California-Los Angeles](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles) | Los Angeles, CA | 93% | $82,511 | $12,548 | $14,000 | 0.17x |
| 12 | [University of San Diego](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-san-diego) | San Diego, CA | 83% | $86,522 | $30,365 | $22,940 | 0.27x |
| 13 | [San Francisco State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-francisco-state-university) | San Francisco, CA | 50% | $68,077 | $12,278 | $15,371 | 0.23x |
| 14 | [Occidental College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/occidental-college) | Los Angeles, CA | 83% | $75,951 | $38,263 | $23,000 | 0.3x |
| 15 | [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/santa-clara-university) | Santa Clara, CA | 88% | $109,183 | $50,062 | $19,162 | 0.18x |
| 16 | [University of California-Berkeley](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-berkeley) | Berkeley, CA | 93% | $92,446 | $13,481 | $13,000 | 0.14x |
| 17 | [University of California-Irvine](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-irvine) | Irvine, CA | 86% | $80,735 | $14,251 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 18 | [Pitzer College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pitzer-college) | Claremont, CA | 83% | $69,512 | $34,191 | $16,750 | 0.24x |
| 19 | [University of California-Merced](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-merced) | Merced, CA | 69% | $64,368 | $11,983 | $16,144 | 0.25x |
| 20 | [Sonoma State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sonoma-state-university) | Rohnert Park, CA | 59% | $65,986 | $12,885 | $16,705 | 0.25x |
| 21 | [University of California-Riverside](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-riverside) | Riverside, CA | 76% | $67,699 | $14,304 | $17,500 | 0.26x |
| 22 | [California Lutheran University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-lutheran-university) | Thousand Oaks, CA | 72% | $68,712 | $30,109 | $21,669 | 0.32x |
| 23 | [San Diego State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university) | San Diego, CA | 77% | $64,909 | $15,364 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 24 | [University of California-Santa Barbara](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-santa-barbara) | Santa Barbara, CA | 84% | $74,915 | $16,109 | $13,993 | 0.19x |
| 25 | [Vanguard University of Southern California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/vanguard-university-of-southern-california) | Costa Mesa, CA | 56% | $59,541 | $21,241 | $22,000 | 0.37x |
| 26 | [University of California-Santa Cruz](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-california-santa-cruz) | Santa Cruz, CA | 75% | $68,396 | $17,890 | $16,666 | 0.24x |
| 27 | [Whittier College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/whittier-college) | Whittier, CA | 62% | $59,492 | $25,757 | $24,937 | 0.42x |
| 28 | [Dominican University of California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dominican-university-of-california) | San Rafael, CA | 77% | $84,713 | $35,333 | $27,000 | 0.32x |
| 29 | [Saint Mary's College of California](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/saint-marys-college-of-california) | Moraga, CA | 70% | $78,812 | $30,378 | $23,691 | 0.3x |
| 30 | [Fresno Pacific University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fresno-pacific-university) | Fresno, CA | 53% | $58,896 | $13,630 | $23,146 | 0.39x |
| 31 | [Westmont College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/westmont-college) | Santa Barbara, CA | 70% | $64,778 | $29,053 | $23,250 | 0.36x |
| 32 | [University of Redlands](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-redlands) | Redlands, CA | 69% | $72,690 | $30,031 | $26,000 | 0.36x |
| 33 | [Pepperdine University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pepperdine-university) | Malibu, CA | 84% | $82,939 | $58,098 | $23,510 | 0.28x |
| 34 | [Loyola Marymount University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/loyola-marymount-university) | Los Angeles, CA | 79% | $78,349 | $48,381 | $19,500 | 0.25x |
| 35 | [Point Loma Nazarene University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/point-loma-nazarene-university) | San Diego, CA | 76% | $63,998 | $38,729 | $22,990 | 0.36x |
| 36 | [University of San Francisco](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-san-francisco) | San Francisco, CA | 71% | $89,812 | $41,431 | $23,000 | 0.26x |
| 37 | [University of La Verne](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-la-verne) | La Verne, CA | 64% | $65,464 | $20,161 | $23,500 | 0.36x |
| 38 | [Chapman University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/chapman-university) | Orange, CA | 81% | $70,070 | $46,555 | $20,500 | 0.29x |
| 39 | [Napa Valley College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/napa-valley-college) | Napa, CA | 37% | $49,517 | $14,644 | $10,147 | 0.2x |
| 40 | [Biola University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/biola-university) | La Mirada, CA | 68% | $56,778 | $31,495 | $23,875 | 0.42x |
| 41 | [California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-polytechnic-state-university-san-luis-obispo) | San Luis Obispo, CA | 86% | $90,768 | $16,665 | $18,500 | 0.2x |
| 42 | [California State University-Long Beach](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-long-beach) | Long Beach, CA | 69% | $64,403 | $10,440 | $14,289 | 0.22x |
| 43 | [La Sierra University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/la-sierra-university) | Riverside, CA | 64% | $61,824 | $45,566 | $27,000 | 0.44x |
| 44 | [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona) | Pomona, CA | 68% | $71,902 | $11,531 | $16,000 | 0.22x |
| 45 | [Glendale Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/glendale-community-college-ca) | Glendale, CA | 35% | $41,540 | $8,365 | $8,972 | 0.22x |
| 46 | [Solano Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/solano-community-college) | Fairfield, CA | 35% | $44,170 | $4,669 | $12,000 | 0.27x |
| 47 | [California State University-Stanislaus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-stanislaus) | Turlock, CA | 56% | $63,188 | $6,067 | $13,540 | 0.21x |
| 48 | [California State University-Fullerton](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-state-university-fullerton) | Fullerton, CA | 70% | $62,951 | $6,555 | $13,750 | 0.22x |
| 49 | [California Baptist University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/california-baptist-university) | Riverside, CA | 61% | $61,504 | $26,285 | $26,063 | 0.42x |
| 50 | [Pacific Union College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pacific-union-college) | Angwin, CA | 55% | $70,484 | $41,008 | $27,500 | 0.39x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Biology Colleges in California." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-biology-california

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.