2026 Ranking

Best Colleges for Transfer Students in California

Four-year colleges that welcome transfer students and graduate them on time.

Ranked: 138
Page: 1 / 6
Year: 2026
Version: v1

How we rank →

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California State University-Long Beach

· California State University-Long Beach, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 83.5%
Transfer share: 13.4%
Scale: 4.5

San Diego State University

· San Diego State University, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 82.3%
Transfer share: 13.6%
Scale: 4.5

California State University-Fullerton

· California State University-Fullerton, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 81.2%
Transfer share: 13.5%
Scale: 4.6

California State University-Sacramento

· California State University-Sacramento, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 77.8%
Transfer share: 15.5%
Scale: 4.5

University of California-San Diego

· University of California-San Diego, CA

High-return

Transfer completion: 83.7%
Transfer share: 11.1%
Scale: 4.5

California State University-Northridge

· California State University-Northridge, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 79.5%
Transfer share: 13.4%
Scale: 4.5

University of California-Los Angeles

· University of California-Los Angeles, CA

High-return

Transfer completion: 81.5%
Transfer share: 11.6%
Scale: 4.5

#10

San Jose State University

· San Jose State University, CA

High-return

Transfer completion: 79.2%
Transfer share: 12.4%
Scale: 4.4

#11

California State University-Chico

· California State University-Chico, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 77.7%
Transfer share: 15.6%
Scale: 4.1

#12

California State University-Fresno

· California State University-Fresno, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 77.7%
Transfer share: 13.5%
Scale: 4.3

#14

California State University-San Bernardino

· California State University-San Bernardino, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 76.5%
Transfer share: 14.0%
Scale: 4.2

#15

University of California-Berkeley

· University of California-Berkeley, CA

High-return

Transfer completion: 89.7%
Transfer share: 8.2%
Scale: 4.5

#16

California State University-San Marcos

· California State University-San Marcos, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 75.2%
Transfer share: 15.2%
Scale: 4.2

#17

California State University-Channel Islands

· California State University-Channel Islands, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 78.7%
Transfer share: 18.9%
Scale: 3.7

#19

Sonoma State University

· Sonoma State University, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 80.8%
Transfer share: 14.8%
Scale: 3.7

#20

University of California-Irvine

· University of California-Irvine, CA

High-return

Transfer completion: 82.5%
Transfer share: 9.2%
Scale: 4.5

#21

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

· California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, CA

High-return

Transfer completion: 78.2%
Transfer share: 11.3%
Scale: 4.4

#23

California State University-Monterey Bay

· California State University-Monterey Bay, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 76.0%
Transfer share: 23.3%
Scale: 3.8

#26

Unitek College

· Unitek College, CA

High-return

Transfer completion: 77.0%
Transfer share: 15.1%
Scale: 3.9

#27

California State University-Dominguez Hills

· California State University-Dominguez Hills, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 74.2%
Transfer share: 14.8%
Scale: 4.1

#28

California State University-East Bay

· California State University-East Bay, CA

High-return

Transfer completion: 73.3%
Transfer share: 19.0%
Scale: 4.0

#29

California State University-Stanislaus

· California State University-Stanislaus, CA

Solid outcomes

Transfer completion: 74.8%
Transfer share: 16.1%
Scale: 3.9

#30

University of California-Davis

· University of California-Davis, CA

High-return

Transfer completion: 83.3%
Transfer share: 8.4%
Scale: 4.5

#31

California State University-Los Angeles

· California State University-Los Angeles, CA

High-mobility campus

Transfer completion: 77.3%
Transfer share: 10.3%
Scale: 4.3

#35

University of California-Santa Barbara

· University of California-Santa Barbara, CA

High-return

Transfer completion: 78.7%
Transfer share: 9.1%
Scale: 4.4

How we score — methodology (v1) ▾

Eligibility

Four-year institutions with an IPEDS transfer-student completion rate and ≥500 undergraduates.

Score weights

60%

25%

15%

Transfer Student Completion Rate 60%

Transfer Share 25%

Log Scale 15%