What makes this California college campus the best in the US? Here’s how Niche picked No. 1
Choosing a college campus is one of the most difficult decisions a student will have to make.
Fortunately, California is home to the best college campus in the nation, according to Niche.
The ranking and review website recently released its list for the Best College Campuses in America for 2025, and three California universities made the top 10.
UCLA in Los Angeles was No. 1 on the list of 1,373 campuses, while two St. Paul, Minnesota, schools took the next spots. Concordia University, St. Paul, came in second place and University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, was third.
Elsewhere in California, University of California, Irvine, came in fourth place, while UC Davis was No. 5.
Niche ranked the colleges on its list of the Best College Campuses in America by letter grade, giving them an overall Niche grade as well as a campus grade from A to D.
“Niche has nearly 500,000 college reviews from real students,” the website said. This gives a uniquely authentic and credible view into what students really think about their college. We get deep too, asking questions about everything from dorms and food to professors, safety, and diversity.”
Why is UCLA the best college campus in the US?
UCLA received an A+ for it’s overall niche grade and an A+ in campus.
The four-year university, which has a total of 31,763 undergraduate students, received straight As in academics, diversity, value, campus, athletics, professors and even location.
The Southern California school scored a B+ in safety.
Niche noted that UCLA has an acceptance rate of just 9%, indicating that the admissions process is “extremely competitive.”
Popular majors at the university include economics, sociology, psychology and political science and government, Niche said.
It cost students $16,999 per year on average to attend UCLA after receiving financial aid such as scholarships, Niche said, according to a national average of $15,523.
According to Niche, 92% of all UCLA students graduate, and alumni earn an annual salary of $44,500 two years after graduation. That salary goes up to $60,700 six years after graduation.
“UCLA is renowned for its academic programs and research opportunities,” a student wrote in a review of UCLA on Niche. “Freshmen often appreciate the access to top-notch faculty and resources, which can provide a strong foundation for their academic and professional careers.”
It’s not the first time UCLA has topped Niche rankings.
The site gave the university the No. 1 spot on its lists of Colleges with the Best Student Life in America and Best College Food in America.
UCLA was one of five California colleges ranked among the “most beautiful” in the nation by Architectural Digest.
Which other California universities made the list?
UC Irvine was No. 4 on Niche’s list of the top schools to study at, receiving an overall grade of A+ and an A for its campus,
UC Davis, which was ranked No. 5, received an overall grade of A+ and a campus grade of A.
San Diego State University landed at No. 15 with an overall grade of A and a campus grade of A, while California Baptist University in Riverside took No. 16 with an overall B grade and a campus grade of A.
California State University, Long Beach, was No. 18 on the list with an overall grade of A and a campus grade of A, according to Niche.
Landing at No. 21 was Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, with an overall grade of B+ and a campus grade of A.
California State University, Sacramento, had an overall grade of B+ and a campus grade of A, ranking No. 31 on the list.
Stanislaus State University ranked No. 214 with an overall grade of B+ and a campus grade of A, while Fresno State ranked No. 257 with an overall grade of B+ and a campus grade of A-.
What are the top 10 college campuses in the US?
These are the top 10 college campuses in the United states, according to Niche:
- UCLA
- Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota
- University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota
- University of California, Irvine
- UC Davis
- University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia
- Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia
- Columbia University in New York City
- Southern Methodist University in Dallas
- Liberty University, in Lynchburg Virginia
How did Niche come up with its rankings?
To come up with its list of the best college campuses in the United States, Niche selected “factors to represent a healthy balance between statistical rigor and practical relevance.”
Those factors were:
- Academics
- Value
- Diversity
- Campus
- Athletics
- Party scene
- Professors
- Dorms
- Location
- Campus food
- Safety
- Student Life
The site produced a standardized score for each factor at each college, then assigned weights for each factor.
Niche then calculated an overall score for each college, created a numerical ranking and assigned grades
The website used data from the U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation.
This story was originally published August 28, 2024 at 6:00 AM with the headline "What makes this California college campus the best in the US? Here’s how Niche picked No. 1."