Safest Colleges in California
25 schools ranked by lowest violent crime rate from federal Clery Act filings. Updated from the latest federal filings.
Includes two-year, technical and community colleges alongside four-year universities — the typeis shown under each name. Schools appear only where the underlying figures exist: a real undergraduate population and a published graduation rate. Satellite campuses that repeat a parent institution's numbers are collapsed into one entry.
| # | School | Violent (4yr avg) | Net Price | Grad Rate | Earnings 10yr | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of Alameda Alameda · community | 0 | $8,496 | 20.9% | $42,563 | — |
| 2 | American Academy of Dramatic Arts-Los Angeles Los Angeles · private | 0 | $39,810 | 63.2% | $27,019 | 82.8% |
| 3 | American Beauty College West Covina · private | 0 | $25,781 | 75.3% | $22,481 | — |
| 4 | American Career College-Los Angeles Los Angeles · private | 0 | $32,408 | 70.8% | $38,430 | — |
| 5 | American River College Sacramento · community | 0 | $7,999 | 24.6% | $40,162 | — |
| 6 | Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster · public | 0 | $3,860 | 29.1% | $36,526 | — |
| 7 | Art Center College of Design Pasadena · private | 0 | $48,661 | 77.8% | $71,958 | 74.5% |
| 8 | Associated Technical College-Los Angeles Los Angeles · private | 0 | $23,629 | 90.9% | $24,368 | — |
| 9 | Barstow Community College Barstow · community | 0 | $12,773 | 19.5% | $35,104 | — |
| 10 | Bellus Academy-Chula Vista Chula Vista · private | 0 | $20,738 | 64.7% | $23,576 | — |
| 11 | Bethesda University Anaheim · private | 0 | $11,097 | 16.4% | — | — |
| 12 | Biola University La Mirada · private | 0 | $31,495 | 69.9% | $56,778 | 74.4% |
| 13 | Brownson Technical School Anaheim · private | 0 | $30,513 | 87.1% | $68,767 | — |
| 14 | Butte College Oroville · community | 0 | $5,520 | 36.3% | $41,810 | — |
| 15 | Alliant International University-San Diego San Diego · private | 0 | — | 52.1% | $66,666 | 0.0% |
| 16 | California Beauty College Modesto · private | 0 | $12,513 | 82.6% | $22,255 | — |
| 17 | California Institute of the Arts Valencia · private | 0 | $46,080 | 71.1% | $41,198 | 32.3% |
| 18 | Canada College Redwood City · community | 0 | $32 | 22.0% | $50,087 | — |
| 19 | Career Academy of Beauty Garden Grove · private | 0 | $17,769 | 87.1% | $24,410 | — |
| 20 | Casa Loma College-Los Angeles Sherman Oaks · private | 0 | $27,596 | 66.5% | $49,854 | 42.5% |
| 21 | CET-San Diego San Diego · private | 0 | $22,035 | 86.5% | $32,986 | — |
| 22 | CET-San Jose San Jose · private | 0 | $16,101 | 79.6% | $32,986 | — |
| 23 | CET-El Centro El Centro · private | 0 | $11,405 | 91.2% | $32,986 | — |
| 24 | CET-Watsonville Watsonville · private | 0 | $5,198 | 76.8% | $32,986 | — |
| 25 | CET-Salinas Salinas · private | 0 | $6,924 | 70.6% | $32,986 | — |
Compare any two: College of Alameda vs American Academy of Dramatic Arts-Los Angeles →
Go deeper on any school
Personalized match scores, the 2026 loan-earnings test, real net price by your income, and 20+ data points per school.
Get Full Access — $249/studentSafest Colleges in Other States
More California College Rankings
Data from U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS, College Scorecard, Clery Act). Updated annually. Rankings reflect the data as reported — not editorial opinion.