For the 2025 California college admission cycle, a total of 4,509 enrolled students submitted SAT scores and 1,699 students submitted ACT scores to California colleges.
The average SAT score for California colleges is 1,329 and the average ACT composite score is 30. Compared to the previous year, the California's average SAT score increased by 2 points from 1,327 to 1,329, representing a 0.2% change. The average ACT score increased by 1 points, from 29 to 30.
The average acceptance rate for California colleges with available SAT data is 33.08% with a yield rate of 18.47%. This represents a 11.03 percentage point decrease in selectivity compared to the previous admission cycle.
Among California colleges, Stanford University has the highest SAT score of 1,550.
The following table compares the SAT scores between four-years colleges in California. Those colleges have admission requirements and criteria to admit (not open admission). The green or red arrows with numbers indicate change from the previous year for each column.
| School | SAT Score | ACT Score | Acceptance Rate | Yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | 1,550 | 35 | 3.61% -0.30% | 81.91% 0.97% |
| Harvey Mudd College | 1,540 10 | 35 | 12.66% -0.40% | 35.81% 0.03% |
| Pomona College | 1,540 20 | 34 | 7.09% 0.33% | 50.23% 0.41% |
| Claremont McKenna College | 1,530 20 | 34 | 9.59% -1.53% | 53.83% 4.06% |
| Scripps College | 1,500 20 | 33 | 38.29% 4.35% | 25.55% -0.74% |
| University of Southern California | 1,500 -10 | 33 | 9.81% -0.21% | 43.34% -1.55% |
| Occidental College | 1,440 -10 | 33 | 44.17% 4.28% | 17.83% -2.46% |
| Soka University of America | 1,440 80 | - | 43.38% -26.14% | 45.82% 0.17% |
| Santa Clara University | 1,420 | 32 1 | 48.00% 4.16% | 17.69% -1.10% |
| Pepperdine University | 1,370 10 | 31 1 | 62.86% 13.01% | 11.64% -0.15% |
| Chapman University | 1,350 10 | 30 | 65.43% 9.82% | 15.94% -4.47% |
| Loyola Marymount University | 1,350 | 30 | 45.08% 4.79% | 14.80% -1.51% |
| University of the Pacific | 1,345 45 | 29 1 | 71.32% -23.54% | 13.80% -0.34% |
| Westmont College | 1,330 -5 | 28 -4 | 77.05% -2.81% | 15.86% -2.00% |
| Otis College of Art and Design | 1,310 | - | 81.76% -2.22% | 10.46% -0.97% |
| Thomas Aquinas College | 1,310 60 | 30 1 | 83.09% 4.38% | 67.70% -1.38% |
| Dominican University of California | 1,290 95 | - | 83.50% -12.12% | 12.72% -0.28% |
| University of San Francisco | 1,290 -10 | 28 -1 | 61.71% 10.94% | 5.99% -2.62% |
| California Lutheran University | 1,270 50 | 26 | 75.67% -13.21% | 11.05% -1.18% |
| Biola University | 1,265 25 | 26 -2 | 74.35% 14.27% | 29.74% -1.57% |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | 1,260 -10 | 28 1 | 83.68% 1.92% | 21.41% -4.81% |
| University of Redlands | 1,240 35 | 26 -2 | 82.71% 1.79% | 15.86% -0.65% |
| William Jessup University | 1,150 | - | 93.33% 16.51% | 19.62% -15.76% |
| Azusa Pacific University | 1,105 -40 | 29 5 | 88.43% 8.95% | 13.69% -0.04% |
| University of La Verne | 1,095 -20 | 20 -2 | 71.17% 22.69% | 9.80% -4.37% |
| John Paul the Great Catholic University | 1,080 -86 | 25 | 79.63% 0.34% | 43.02% 9.24% |
| Hope International University | 1,020 | - | 32.98% -2.41% | 38.39% 8.36% |