Colleges in Los Angeles: A Complete List

Renowned as America’s entertainment hub, Los Angeles attracts millions of students from all over the world. In addition to plenty of sunshine and beaches, LA County has buoyant industries such as healthcare, tech, finance, and manufacturing.

The City of Angels also has a strong higher education system with some of the country’s top institutions. LA colleges offer a rigorous education amidst a unique social, cultural, and economic backdrop.

Explore if Los Angeles’ popular colleges, career opportunities, and quality of life are right for you.

We’ve spotlighted what makes these five universities in LA and LA County some of the most popular colleges in the country.

The following school data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and is updated for 2022.

Here is a complete list of all four-year nonprofit universities in Los Angeles and the greater Los Angeles County. Use the table below to compare data on student population, average net cost, acceptance rate, and number of applicants.

All data comes from NCES. Note that colleges with less than 500 enrolled undergraduates were not included in this list.

LA’s fastest-growing careers represent the diversity of industries in the city. Everything from entertainment to healthcare to tech is projected to grow.

We’ve compiled a list of the fastest-growing jobs that require a bachelor’s degree based on data provided by the California Employment Development Department. Pursuing your degree at one of the many colleges in Los Angeles can set you up for a career in the city.

The fastest-growing job is logistician, with an $82,405 median annual wage and a 37.5% projected growth rate. Music directors and composers come in second, with a $79,693 median annual wage and a 36.5% projected growth rate.

Rounding out the top five are information security analysts, medical and health services managers, and meeting, convention, and event planners.

Los Angeles offers many career opportunities, recreational activities, and pleasant weather. But life in LA isn’t cheap.

According to Redfin, the cost of living in Los Angeles is 50% higher than the national average. Housing alone costs 140% more than the national average, and groceries will cost you 11% more.

Fortunately, students can reduce their costs by living with roommates and using some of the services that colleges typically provide. This includes free or subsidized transportation and healthcare and student discounts for insurance and travel.

Los Angeles is home to over 20 nonprofit four-year universities — more than some states have. The greater Los Angeles County area is also home to a large number of community colleges and trade schools.

UCLA and USC are both prestigious research institutions that enroll high-achieving students. While USC is a private college, UCLA is a publicly funded school that is a lot cheaper than USC because of its tuition and financial aid packages.

Both schools have an acceptance rate between 9%-12%, making them selective in admissions.

There are no Ivy League colleges in Los Angeles. However, UCLA is considered one of the Public Ivies — colleges that provide an Ivy League education at a public school price. Public Ivies enjoy prestige because they match Ivy League schools in terms of strong academics and student outcomes.

USC has also been called a Hidden Ivy.

USC is the largest college in LA with approximately 48,000 students, followed by UCLA with 46,000 students. USC’s student enrollment consists of about 21,000 undergraduates and 28,000 graduate and professional students. In comparison, UCLA has a much larger undergraduate population compared to graduate students.

The cheapest four-year university in Los Angeles is Cal State Los Angeles. According to the NCES, Cal State LA has the lowest average annual net price. For the 2022-2023 school year, Cal State LA’s in-state tuition was $6,805, and its out-of-state tuition was $18,685.