by our College Data Analytics TeamThere are lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. College Factual has developed its Top Far Western US Region Colleges ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
We analyzed 362 colleges and universities across the Far Western US Region to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as student-to-faculty ratio, average graduate earnings, and graduation rate.
See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.
We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Samuel Merritt University tops this year’s ranking as the best school in the Far Western US Region for overall quality.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Samuel Merritt University go into careers with an average salary of $143,238 during the early years of their career.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Stanford University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in the Far Western US Region .
With a freshman retention rate of 98%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Stanford go into careers with an average salary of $124,080 during the early years of their career.
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at University of Southern California helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in the Far Western US Region .
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from USC is $92,498 during the early years of their career.
Out of the 362 schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, University of California - Berkeley landed the #4 spot on the list.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley go into careers with an average salary of $92,446 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Pacific College of Health and Science. It ranked #5 on our 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $26,209 during the early years of their career..
With a ranking of #6, University of California - Los Angeles did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region list.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 81%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UCLA go into careers with an average salary of $82,511 during the early years of their career.
Roseman University of Health Sciences landed the #7 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $120,163 during the early years of their career..
Loma Linda University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #8.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 3 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $89,816 during the early years of their career..
Harvey Mudd College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region list.
With a student-to-faculty rate of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Harvey Mudd College make an average of $138,687 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #10, Claremont McKenna College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region list.
The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 81%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna go into careers with an average salary of $104,736 during the early years of their career.
University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #11 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $78,466 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on University of Washington - Seattle Campus
University of California - Santa Barbara ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region list.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UCSB is $74,915 during the early years of their career.
Carrington College, Sacramento landed the #13 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Carrington College, Sacramento make an average of $39,633 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #14, University of California - San Diego did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region list.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UCSD is $84,943 during the early years of their career.
Santa Clara University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #15.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. During the early years of their career, graduates from SCU make an average of $109,183 a year.
University of California - Davis came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UC Davis make an average of $80,838 per year during the early years of their career.
West Coast University - Los Angeles ranked #17 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region list.
With a freshman retention rate of 100%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from West Coast University - Los Angeles make an average of $102,672 per year during the early years of their career.
Pepperdine University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region list.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 80%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Pepperdine make an average of $82,939 a year.
San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Cordova did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking, coming in at #19.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from go into careers with an average salary of $38,317 during the early years of their career.
FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising - Los Angeles landed the #20 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from FIDM Los Angeles make an average of $49,840 a year.
Carrington College-Pleasant Hill landed the #21 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $39,633 during the early years of their career..
American Academy of Dramatic Arts - Los Angeles ranked #22 on this year’s Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $27,019 during the early years of their career..
University of California - Irvine landed the #23 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. During the early years of their career, graduates from UC Irvine make an average of $80,735 a year.
West Coast University - Orange County came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 100%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from West Coast University - Orange County make an average of $102,672 per year during the early years of their career.
University of California - Santa Cruz landed the #25 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in the Far Western US Region ranking.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Cruz make an average of $68,396 per year during the early years of their career.
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 20% of this year’s ranking:
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To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA |
| 52 | Gonzaga University | Spokane, WA |
| 53 | Cosumnes River College | Sacramento, CA |
| 54 | University of California - Riverside | Riverside, CA |
| 55 | Loyola Marymount University | Los Angeles, CA |
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These schools also performed well in our Best Colleges ranking:
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 56 | San Francisco State University | San Francisco, CA |
| 57 | Otis College of Art and Design | Los Angeles, CA |
| 58 | City College of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA |
| 59 | Modesto Junior College | Modesto, CA |
| 60 | Canada College | Redwood City, CA |
| 61 | San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia | Visalia, CA |
| 62 | United States University | San Diego, CA |
| 63 | Oregon State University | Corvallis, OR |
| 64 | University of San Diego | San Diego, CA |
| 65 | California State University - Long Beach | Long Beach, CA |
| 66 | Touro University Nevada | Henderson, NV |
| 67 | National University | San Diego, CA |
| 68 | Pacific Union College | Angwin, CA |
| 69 | Merced College | Merced, CA |
| 70 | San Joaquin Valley College-Bakersfield | Bakersfield, CA |
| Rank | College | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 71 | California State University - Sacramento | Sacramento, CA |
| 72 | California State University - Fullerton | Fullerton, CA |
| 73 | Western Washington University | Bellingham, WA |
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.