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California Colleges Admission Statistics

California Best Schools Compare All California Schools Tightest to Admit Highest SAT Scores
Scoreboard
Acceptance Rate 45.07%
Yield (Enrollment Ratio) 17.93%
Applicants 1,772,119
Admitted 798,781
Enrolled 143,213

Applying To California Colleges

The average acceptance rate is 45.07% at California colleges and universities where total 1,772,119 students have applied and 798,781 have been accepted. The average undergraduate application fees is $74.00 and the graduate application fees is $67.00. Next table presents the general admission information for applying to California colleges.
General Admission Information of California Colleges
Open Admission Policy429 out of 766 schools
Average Undergraduate Application Fees$ 74.00
Average Graduate Application Fees$ 67.00
Average Acceptance Rate45.07%
Average Yield (Enrollment Rate)17.93%
Average Test Scores1,277 SAT / 28 ACT

Acceptance Rates and Headcounts

For academic year 2021-2022, total 1,772,119 students (789,298 men and 982,735 women) applied to and 798,781 (323,314 men and 475,459 women) students were accepted to admit California Colleges. Among them, 60,763 men and 82,448 women were enrolled into California schools. The average acceptance rate is 45.07% and admission yield (enrollment rate) is 17.93%. The table below shows the California colleges admission statistics including admission and enrolment rates.
Admission Statistics for California Colleges (2021-2022)
TotalMenWomen
Applicants1,772,119789,298982,735
Admitted798,781323,314475,459
Enrolled143,21360,76382,448
Acceptance Rate 45.07% 40.96% 48.38%
Enrollment Ratio 17.93% 18.79% 17.34%
[Chart]California Colleges Average Acceptance Rate and Yield

Average SAT and ACT Scores

For California college, 4,711 students (19.00% of enrolled) have submitted their SAT scores and 2,659 students (10.00%) have submitted their ACT scores for seeking degrees. For score submitters, SAT 75th percentile score is 1,372 and 25th percentile score is 1,181. For ACT scores, 75th percentile score is 89 and 25th percentile score is 72. Next table shows the detail SAT and ACT scores distribution of enrolled students at California colleges and universities.
SAT and ACT Score Distribution at California Colleges
25th Percentile75th Percentile
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing594.00683.00
SAT Math587.00689.00
ACT Composite25.0030.00
ACT Math23.0028.00
ACT English24.0031.00
[Chart] SAT/ACT Distribution - California Colleges
[Chart] Average SAT Scores - California Colleges
[Chart] Average ACT Scores - California Colleges

Calendar System and Accepted Credits

In California State, 257 schools use semester calendar systems and 62 schools are based on quarter system. Next table lists the number of schools with their calendar systems.
Semester257 out of 766 schools
Quarter62 out of 766 schools
Trimester25 out of 766 schools
Four-one-four plan9 out of 766 schools
Other academic year27 out of 766 schools
Differs by program100 out of 766 schools
Continuous187 out of 766 schools
Un-Known/Other99 out of 766 schools
Next table describes credits that California colleges and universities are accepting for their students
Dual Credits236 out of 766 schools
Credits for Life Experiences165 out of 766 schools
Advanced placement (AP) Credits279 out of 766 schools
Credit for Military Training241 out of 766 schools

Application Requirements

101 California schools require High School GPA and 121 schools require High School Record (or Transcript). The test scores such as SAT and ACT are required by 3 California colleges. Next table summarizes the application requirements for applying to California colleges.
Admission Checklist for California Colleges
RequiredRecommended
High School GPA1017
High School Rank325
High School Record (or Transcript)1210
Completion of College Preparatory Program5529
Recommendations4812
Formal Demonstration of Competencies246
Admission Test Scores312
TOEFL6910
Other Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)152

Know about California Colleges