Best Colleges In San Diego: Niche Releases New Rankings

SAN DIEGO, CA — The University of California, San Diego, is the best college in San Diego County, according to rankings released Monday by Niche, a college ranking and review platform. In all, 62 colleges in the California and six colleges in San Diego County were ranked among the best in the country.

Niche said its 2024 Best Colleges Rankings reflect the declining importance of SAT and ACT scores and the increasing importance prospective students and their families place on value and economic mobility — that is, the ability of students to improve their economic status after graduation.

The platform evaluated 4,048 public and private four-year colleges nationwide and developed separate lists for the best academics value, food, dorms and college life.

The top five colleges in the San Diego region are:

1. University of California, San Diego (No. 10 in CA)
Overall Niche grade: A+
Acceptance rate: 34 percent
Net price: $15,632 / year
SAT range: 1270-1480

2. National University (N0. 13 in CA)
Overall Niche grade: A
Acceptance rate: 55 percent
Net price: $9,966 / year
SAT range: 750-1170

3. University of San Diego (No. 15 in CA)
Overall Niche grade: A
Acceptance rate: 53 percent
Net price: $34,155 / year
SAT range: 1190-1370

4. San Diego State University (No. 20 in CA)
Overall Niche grade: A-
Acceptance rate: 38 percent
Net price: $6,867 / year
SAT range: 1090-1300

5. Point Loma Nazarene University (No. 23 in CA)
Overall Niche grade: A-
Acceptance rate: 84 percent
Net price: $34,851 / year
SAT range: 1170-1350

California State University, San Marcos, is also included in the list and ranked 51st in the state. Other California schools ranked by Niche are found on the website.

To rank the schools, Niche analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education along with reviews and ratings from current students, alumni and parents. The new economic mobility index takes into account the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants, the net tuition price for students from low-income households and the median earnings of those students six years after they get their first post-graduation jobs.

The top schools nationwide are, respectively: Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Stanford University, Stanford, California; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge; Harvard University, Cambridge; and Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey.

The best value colleges are, respectively, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California; Stanford University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena; and Clarmont-McKenna College.