Colleges in California That Accept a 3.5 GPA

A 3.5 GPA is a safety at one school and a long shot at another, so these schools are split into likely, target and reach rather than one list. Every number is the school's own average admitted GPA, from U.S. Department of Education data. Only California schools are listed here.

Likely

Schools where the average admitted student is below 3.5 GPA. You are above their typical applicant.

• San Francisco State University — San Francisco, CA · 3.30 avg GPA
• California State University-Northridge — Northridge, CA · 3.30 avg GPA
• California State University-Fresno — Fresno, CA · 3.30 avg GPA
• California State University-Los Angeles — Los Angeles, CA · 3.20 avg GPA
• California State University-Chico — Chico, CA · 3.30 avg GPA
• California State University-San Bernardino — San Bernardino, CA · 3.20 avg GPA
• California State University-East Bay — Hayward, CA · 3.15 avg GPA
• California State University-Monterey Bay — Seaside, CA · 3.20 avg GPA
• Sonoma State University — Rohnert Park, CA · 3.25 avg GPA
• California State University-Bakersfield — Bakersfield, CA · 3.10 avg GPA
• California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt — Arcata, CA · 3.20 avg GPA
• California State University-Stanislaus — Turlock, CA · 3.10 avg GPA
• California State University-Dominguez Hills — Carson, CA · 3.05 avg GPA
• Pitzer College — Claremont, CA · 3.00 avg GPA
• California State University-Long Beach — Long Beach, CA · 3.00 avg GPA

Target

Schools where the average admitted student is right around 3.5 GPA. These are realistic, competitive picks.

• University of California-Riverside — Riverside, CA · 3.60 avg GPA
• University of California-Merced — Merced, CA · 3.50 avg GPA
• San Jose State University — San Jose, CA · 3.40 avg GPA
• California State University-Fullerton — Fullerton, CA · 3.40 avg GPA
• California State University-Sacramento — Sacramento, CA · 3.35 avg GPA
• University of San Francisco — San Francisco, CA · 3.62 avg GPA
• University of Redlands — Redlands, CA · 3.50 avg GPA
• Biola University — La Mirada, CA · 3.62 avg GPA

Reach

Schools where the average admitted student is above 3.5 GPA. Possible, but you would be applying from below the median.

• University of Southern California — Los Angeles, CA · 3.79 avg GPA
• University of California-Santa Cruz — Santa Cruz, CA · 3.70 avg GPA
• San Diego State University — San Diego, CA · 3.72 avg GPA
• Santa Clara University — Santa Clara, CA · 3.85 avg GPA
• University of San Diego — San Diego, CA · 3.78 avg GPA
• Loyola Marymount University — Los Angeles, CA · 3.70 avg GPA
• Pepperdine University — Malibu, CA · 3.70 avg GPA
• University of the Pacific — Stockton, CA · 3.70 avg GPA
• Scripps College — Claremont, CA · 3.85 avg GPA
• Chapman University — Orange, CA · 3.70 avg GPA
• Occidental College — Los Angeles, CA · 3.85 avg GPA

All colleges that accept a 3.5 GPA, nationwide

Colleges in California That Accept a 3.5 GPA on PickACampus