Your dreams of CSU can rapidly become a reality upon completion of this guide and will give you the best chance to pass the application and acceptance process with flying colors. This easy college to get into in California guide is based on how I achieved a GPA of 3.9+ throughout my college career while being constantly disconnected from school for several months at a time.
California State University schools may be of interest to you if you intend to attend some of the easy colleges to get into in California. According to data from the California State University system, this list of California state university acceptance rates in 2022 is among the lowest CSU acceptance rates in California – meaning it might be easier to get into these colleges than the others.
Right here on infolearners, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on easy colleges to get into in california, cal state acceptance rates, how to get into a cal state, california state university acceptance rate 2021, and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.
California state university acceptance rate 2022
California State University–Los Angeles admissions is less selective with an acceptance rate of 76%. Half the applicants admitted to California State University–Los Angeles have an SAT score between 870 and 1060 or an ACT score of 15 and 20.
California State University-Los Angeles can be found in Los Angeles, CA, a public college which focuses on only a select few programs offered. Cal State LA enrolls about 27,000 students per year.
An ACT or SAT exam may be required before applying to this college. Scores between 890 (25th percentile) to 1080 (75th percentile) on the SAT and within the range of 15 (25th percentile) to 20 (75th percentile) for the ACT exam is common among applicants accepted to Cal State LA. Based on sampled GPA data collected and applied, it is estimated that the Cal State LA average GPA range for accepted students is around 2.64 – 2.97. California State University-Los Angeles sends acceptance letters to roughly 50 percent of those that apply. Of those that are accepted, around 20 percent attended the school. When applying historical data, we have projected that the Cal State LA acceptance rate 2021 will be around 44%.
Easiest CSU To Get Into
California has the most accredited universities in the country, so it’s no wonder students flock there to pursue their education. Some colleges are better than others, however – not all colleges are equal. Getting a college degree from an accredited institution is the key to a good education. You will have a strong foundation for your career when you graduate and step into the world as a professional. To learn more about easy schools to transfer to in california, read on to learn more.
7. California State University, Dominguez Hills
Dominguez Hills campus is located in northern Carson – Greater Los Angeles. This urban university was established in 1960, and it enrolls around 15,000 students each year. While acceptance rate is only slightly larger than 50%, future Cal State students at Dominguez Hills campus aren’t required to exhibit soaring high school grades or ACT scores for that matter. In fact, CSU campus in Carson has the lowest such requirements of all Cal State campuses. Average GPA between 2.64 and 2.9 should be enough for most students (both residents and non-residents), and so should be ACT composite scores between 15 and 19.
6. California State University, Northridge
Northridge campus can be found on the opposite side of downtown Los Angeles from Dominguez Hills campus. This is the largest of all CSU campuses as it enrolls close to 40,000 students, and it was established back in 1958. To be admitted to Northridge, a prospective student usually needs to exhibit GPA of between 2.71 and 3.14, and ACT composite scores in a range between 16 and 22.
5. California State University, Fresno
Fresno State is a fine place to spend your college days being close to a number of national parks including Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon. The campus was established in 1911, and it currently enrolls slightly above 21,000 students. Fresno State’s acceptance rate is around 60% while grade requirements are similar to those in Northridge; between 2.71 and 3.14 on average. ACT composite scores fall within the same region as well, being between 16 and 22.
4. California State University, East Bay
East Bay campus, just like Dominguez Hills campus enrolls around 15,000 students a year, and it is located in Hayward – Bay Area. Founded in 1957, California State University, East Bay offers Bachelor and Master degrees in all 6 major areas of study and many of their subfields. It also offers Doctorate degrees in most of the available fields. East Bay campus makes this 7 easiest CSU’s to get into list thanks to 16 to 22 requirement in ACT tests and 2.71 to 3.14 GPA. It has to be noted that acceptance rate of around 70% also plays an important role.
3. California State University, Bakersfield
Established in 1965, Bakersfield branch of Cal State enrolls around 9,000 students each year. With the city of Bakersfield being located between Fresno and Los Angeles, Bakersfield’s campus too represents a middle ground between Fresno State and number of Greater LA campuses. Acceptance rate to Bakersfield’s Cal State is higher than 60% but needed average high school grades and ACT scores are lower than it is the case with most other CSU’s. Average GPA needed falls within the range between 2.64 and 3.14, while needed composite ACT scores are between 15 and 22.
2. California State University, Stanislaus
CSU Stanislaus is located in Turlock, and it was founded in 1957. Similar to Bakersfield campus, it too enrolls around 9,000 students and is one of the smaller CSU’s overall. Acceptance rate to Stanislaus campus is higher than 70% which means that chances of getting admitted are rather high. Needless to say, GPA and ACT requirements are on the low side with former being between 2.71 and 3.14, and latter falling within the range between 16 and 22.
1. California State University, Los Angeles
Number one spot on this list of 7 easiest CSU’s to get into belongs to CSULA. Los Angeles campus was established in 1947, and it enrolls around 21,000 students a year. Acceptance rate is higher than 70%, and it’s actually the highest of all campuses that have made this list. To get admitted to the LA Cal State, a prospective student will need ACT composite scores between 15 and 20, and GPA between 2.64 and 2.97. Apart from highest acceptance rate, it’s clear to see that LA campus exhibits the lowest requirements of all CSU’s. This is why it’s the easiest Cal State campus to get into.
List of Hard and Easy Colleges to Get into in California
| School Name | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled | Acceptance Rate | Admission Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA | 54,072 | 15,366 | 4,613 | 28.42% | 30.02% |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona POMONA, CA | 39,726 | 21,687 | 3,694 | 54.59% | 17.03% |
| California State University Maritime Academy VALLEJO, CA | 1,421 | 1,083 | 190 | 76.21% | 17.54% |
| California State University-Bakersfield BAKERSFIELD, CA | 12,935 | 10,440 | 1,561 | 80.71% | 14.95% |
| California State University-Channel Islands CAMARILLO, CA | 11,894 | 10,204 | 887 | 85.79% | 8.69% |
| California State University-Chico CHICO, CA | 25,908 | 18,740 | 2,561 | 72.33% | 13.67% |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills CARSON, CA | 20,864 | 16,066 | 2,533 | 77.00% | 15.77% |
| California State University-East Bay HAYWARD, CA | 16,195 | 12,338 | 1,438 | 76.18% | 11.66% |
| California State University-Fresno FRESNO, CA | 18,123 | 10,501 | 3,334 | 57.94% | 31.75% |
| California State University-Fullerton FULLERTON, CA | 50,105 | 26,398 | 4,778 | 52.69% | 18.10% |
| California State University-Long Beach LONG BEACH, CA | 71,355 | 28,019 | 5,161 | 39.27% | 18.42% |
| California State University-Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, CA | 33,641 | 16,084 | 3,287 | 47.81% | 20.44% |
| California State University-Monterey Bay SEASIDE, CA | 12,327 | 9,280 | 1,046 | 75.28% | 11.27% |
| California State University-Northridge NORTHRIDGE, CA | 30,661 | 18,194 | 4,792 | 59.34% | 26.34% |
| California State University-Sacramento SACRAMENTO, CA | 27,576 | 22,685 | 4,175 | 82.26% | 18.40% |
| California State University-San Bernardino SAN BERNARDINO, CA | 16,311 | 11,183 | 2,885 | 68.56% | 25.80% |
| California State University-San Marcos SAN MARCOS, CA | 17,349 | 10,699 | 2,245 | 61.67% | 20.98% |
| California State University-Stanislaus TURLOCK, CA | 8,764 | 7,825 | 1,568 | 89.29% | 20.04% |
| Humboldt State University ARCATA, CA | 15,178 | 13,989 | 823 | 92.17% | 5.88% |
| San Diego State University SAN DIEGO, CA | 70,048 | 23,905 | 5,275 | 34.13% | 22.07% |
| Average | 41,738 | 18,177 | 3,500 | 43.55% | 19.25% |
| School Name | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled | Acceptance Rate | Admission Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco State University SAN FRANCISCO, CA | 34,629 | 23,307 | 3,694 | 67.30% | 15.85% |
| San Jose State University SAN JOSE, CA | 35,307 | 22,446 | 3,964 | 63.57% | 17.66% |
| Sonoma State University ROHNERT PARK, CA | 15,094 | 13,764 | 1,551 | 91.19% | 11.27% |
| University of California-Berkeley BERKELEY, CA | 87,847 | 14,278 | 6,455 | 16.25% | 45.21% |
| University of California-Davis DAVIS, CA | 78,093 | 30,358 | 5,957 | 38.87% | 19.62% |
| University of California-Irvine IRVINE, CA | 95,565 | 25,360 | 6,069 | 26.54% | 23.93% |
| University of California-Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, CA | 111,321 | 13,720 | 5,920 | 12.32% | 43.15% |
| University of California-Merced MERCED, CA | 25,424 | 18,294 | 2,105 | 71.96% | 11.51% |
| University of California-Riverside RIVERSIDE, CA | 49,515 | 27,984 | 4,766 | 56.52% | 17.03% |
| University of California-San Diego LA JOLLA, CA | 99,114 | 31,200 | 6,015 | 31.48% | 19.28% |
| University of California-Santa Barbara SANTA BARBARA, CA | 93,446 | 27,626 | 4,935 | 29.56% | 17.86% |
| University of California-Santa Cruz SANTA CRUZ, CA | 55,796 | 28,629 | 3,712 | 51.31% | 12.97% |
| Average | 41,738 | 18,177 | 3,500 | 43.55% | 19.25% |
Cal State Schools Acceptance Rate
We created a table comparing the total enrollments (undergraduate and graduate students), average standardized test scores, and acceptance rates for each of the Cal State campuses. Take a look at the table to get an idea of the size and selectivity of each CSU institution.
Once you have reviewed the following list, you will know exactly the state colleges with high acceptance rates in California to avoid or choose when looking for admission.. Your college decision doesn’t have to be a gamble and it is easier than you think. There are many top CSU campuses that are easy to get into and highly ranked for their outstanding programs and student satisfaction.
| School | Total Enrollment | Average SAT Score | Average ACT Score | Acceptance Rate |
| CSU Bakersfield | 10,493 | 980 | 18 | 100% |
| CSU Channel Islands | 7,903 | 1070 | 21 | 74% |
| CSU Chico | 17,014 | 1090 | 21 | 72% |
| CSU Dominguez Hills | 15,741 | 950 | 17 | 83% |
| CSU East Bay | 15,528 | 910 | 19 | 74% |
| CSU Fresno | 21,077 | 1040 | 19 | 58% |
| CSU Fullerton | 40,445 | 1120 | 22 | 41% |
| Humboldt State University | 8,347 | 1070 | 20 | 79% |
| CSU Long Beach | 38,075 | 1140 | 23 | 39% |
| CSU Los Angeles | 27,675 | 990 | 18 | 42% |
| Cal Maritime | 1,120 | 1190 | 24 | 67% |
| CSU Monterey Bay | 7,616 | 1060 | 20 | 75% |
| CSU Northridge | 38,391 | 1020 | 19 | 56% |
| Cal Poly Pomona | 26,443 | 1140 | 23 | 55% |
| CSU Sacramento | 31,156 | 1040 | 19 | 82% |
| CSU San Bernardino | 20,311 | 1000 | 17 | 69% |
| San Diego State | 35,081 | 1220 | 26 | 34% |
| San Francisco State | 29,586 | 1060 | 20 | 72% |
| San Jose State | 32,926 | 1150 | 22 | 64% |
| Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | 21,242 | 1340 | 29 | 28% |
| CSU San Marcos | 13,964 | 1100 | 20 | 58% |
| Sonoma State University | 9,459 | 1060 | 20 | 91% |
| CSU Stanislaus | 10,974 | 990 | 18 | 89% |
If you’re looking for colleges that have easy admission requirements, you can also explore rankings of California colleges with the lowest SAT scores, lowest ACT scores and lowest GPA’s.
Quality Ranking of Easiest CSU To Get Into
| School | US News Ranking |
| 1. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | 3 |
| 2. San Diego State | 143 (National Universities) |
| 3. Cal Poly Pomona | 10 |
| 4. Cal State Long Beach | 14 |
| 5. CSU Fullerton | 16 |
| 6. Cal Maritime Academy | 2 (Regional Colleges) |
| 7. San Jose State University | 22 |
| 8. CSU Monterey Bay | 25 |
| 9. CSU Fresno | 196 (National Universities) |
| 10. CSU Chico | 26 |
| 11. CSU Los Angeles | 26 |
| 12. CSU Stanislaus | 29 |
| 13. San Francisco State | 29 |
| 14. Sonoma State | 33 |
| 15. Humboldt State | 37 |
| 16. CSU Northridge | 40 |
| 17. CSU San Bernardino | 40 |
| 18. CSU Channel Islands | 43 |
| 19. CSU Sacramento | 43 |
| 20. CSU Bakersfield | 52 |
| 21. CSU Dominguez Hills | 58 |
| 22. CSU San Marcos | 60 |
| 23. CSU East Bay | 80 |
Highest acceptance rate in california
California College & University Acceptance Rates
| School Name | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University Address Unknown, Stanford, CA 94305 |
47,498 | 2,062 | 4.3% | |
| Pacific Oaks College 45 Eureka Street, Pasadena, CA 91103 |
333 | 17 | 5.1% | |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) 1200 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125 |
8,367 | 537 | 6.4% | |
| Pomona College 550 N College Ave, Claremont, CA 91711-6319 |
10,401 | 770 | 7.4% | |
| Claremont McKenna College 500 E 9th St, Claremont, CA 91711-6400 |
6,066 | 625 | 10.3% | |
| University of Southern California (USC) University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089 |
66,198 | 7,558 | 11.4% | |
| University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1405 |
111,321 | 13,720 | 12.3% | |
| The Chicago School of Professional Psychology at Los Angeles 617 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 |
207 | 27 | 13.0% | |
| Harvey Mudd College (HMC) 301 Platt Blvd., Claremont, CA 91711 |
4,045 | 553 | 13.7% | |
| Pitzer College 1050 North Mills Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711-6101 |
4,415 | 605 | 13.7% | |
| University of California-Berkeley (UC Berkeley) 200 California Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 |
87,397 | 14,278 | 16.3% | |
| California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) 24700 W McBean Pky, Valencia, CA 91355-2397 |
2,267 | 573 | 25.3% | |
| University of California-Irvine (UCI) 501 Aldrich Hall, Irvine, CA 92697 |
95,565 | 25,360 | 26.5% | |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 |
54,072 | 15,366 | 28.4% | |
| University of California-Santa Barbara (UCSB) 5221 Cheadle Hall, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 |
93,446 | 27,626 | 29.6% | |
| University of California-San Diego (UCSD) 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093 |
99,114 | 31,200 | 31.5% | |
| Pepperdine University 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90263 |
12,764 | 4,049 | 31.7% | |
| Scripps College 1030 North Columbia Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711-3905 |
3,022 | 967 | 32.0% | |
| San Diego State University (SDSU) 5500 Campanile Dr, San Diego, CA 92182-0001 |
70,048 | 23,905 | 34.1% | |
| Occidental College (OXY) 1600 Campus Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90041-3392 |
7,501 | 2,752 | 36.7% | |
| Hope International University (Hope) 2500 E Nutwood Ave, Fullerton, CA 92831-3199 |
685 | 252 | 36.8% | |
| University of California-Davis (UC Davis) One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616-8678 |
78,093 | 30,358 | 38.9% | |
| California State University-Long Beach (CSULB) 1250 Bellflower Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90840-0115 |
71,355 | 28,019 | 39.3% | |
| Soka University of America 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-8081 |
504 | 202 | 40.1% | |
| Loyola Marymount University (LMU) One Lmu Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045-2659 |
18,592 | 8,150 | 43.8% | |
| San Francisco Conservatory of Music 50 Oak Street, San Francisco, CA 94102-6011 |
475 | 226 | 47.6% | |
| California State University-Los Angeles (Cal State LA) 5151 State University Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90032-8506 |
33,641 | 16,084 | 47.8% |
