California is known for its great weather, Hollywood stars and Silicon Valley, but it’s also home to many Division 1 colleges and universities that participate in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports. These D1 schools in California have a wide range of athletic programs and are known for their high level of competition and talent. Also known for their academic excellence, they attract top-level student-athletes from around the country.
As a student, parent or guardian researching top schools, California is a great place to start your search. Interested in sunny Southern California? The University of San Diego could be a good fit. Prefer to be closer to nature in NorCal? Check out California State University – Sacramento.
How many D1 schools are in California?
There are 26 D1 colleges in California that are members of the NCAA. These schools are spread throughout the state and compete in various conferences, including the Pac-12, Big West and West Coast Conferences.
Many colleges stand out in specific sports, such as Stanford University and its baseball team or the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and its women’s basketball program. If you’re interested in learning more about specific schools, each college’s website should have more information about how to contact coaches or school representatives.
What is the largest college in California?
The largest Division 1 school in California in terms of enrollment is UCLA, which has just under 46,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
The university is a member of the Pac-12 Conference and fields teams in a wide variety of sports, including basketball, football and soccer. UCLA has a strong athletic tradition and has won 120 NCAA team championships, second only to fellow California D1 school Stanford.
Why choose a D1 college in California?
- Great weather: California is known for its sunny and mild climate, which can make for a great college experience. Weather varies slightly depending on where you are within the state. The highs are typically around 70 degrees along the coast, and it’s rare to see the temperature dip below freezing, even in the winter months. This mild weather allows for year-round training and outdoor competition.
- Strong academic programs: Many Division 1 colleges in California have strong academic programs. Eight D1 schools in California rank within the top 50 of U.S. News & World Report’s best college list, including University of California – Berkeley and the University of Southern California (USC).
- Diverse student body: California is a diverse state with a large population. It’s one of only five states in which no one race makes up the majority of the population, which can lead to a diverse student body at colleges and universities. In fact, more than half of Californians 24 and younger identify as Latino.
- Access to internships and job opportunities: California is home to many large companies and industries, which can provide students with internships and job opportunities. The state has the fifth-largest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world and saw increases in the job growth rate every month of 2022, bringing California’s employment rate to an all-time high.
- Cultural and recreational opportunities: California offers a wide range of cultural and recreational opportunities, including museums, theme parks and outdoor activities. You can visit the oldest and largest Chinatown outside of Asia in San Francisco, stop by Disneyland or see the spectacular nature in Joshua Tree National Park.
- Athletic programs: Some of the top Division 1 colleges in California have strong athletic programs and a great reputation. The state’s large population, diverse culture and many professional sports teams help to generate a lot of interest and support for college athletics. California has the most professional sports team of any state — 21 in total.
List of D1 schools in California by sport
Check out our full list below to see what D1 sports teams each California school offers.
D1 baseball colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Long Beach
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Pepperdine University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California
- University of the Pacific
View all Division 1 baseball colleges.
Men’s D1 basketball colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Long Beach
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Pepperdine University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California
- University of the Pacific
View all men’s Division 1 basketball colleges.
Women’s D1 basketball colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Long Beach
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Pepperdine University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California
- University of the Pacific
View all women’s Division 1 basketball colleges.
D1 field hockey colleges in California
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
View all Division 1 field hockey colleges.
D1 football colleges in California
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Sacramento
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of San Diego
- University of Southern California
View all Division 1 football colleges.
Men’s D1 golf colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Long Beach
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Pepperdine University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California
- University of the Pacific
View all men’s Division 1 golf colleges.
Women’s D1 golf colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Long Beach
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Pepperdine University
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California
View all women’s Division 1 golf colleges.
Women’s D1 lacrosse colleges in California
- San Diego State University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of Southern California
View all women’s Division 1 lacrosse colleges.
Men’s D1 soccer colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Francisco
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of the Pacific
View all men’s Division 1 soccer colleges.
Women’s D1 soccer colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Long Beach
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Pepperdine University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California
- University of the Pacific
View all women’s Division 1 soccer colleges.
D1 softball colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Long Beach
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of the Pacific
View all Division 1 softball colleges.
Men’s D1 swimming colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of Southern California
- University of the Pacific
View all men’s Division 1 swimming colleges.
Women’s D1 swimming colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- Loyola Marymount University
- Pepperdine University
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of Southern California
- University of the Pacific
View all women’s Division 1 swimming colleges.
Men’s D1 tennis colleges in California
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Pepperdine University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Diego State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California
- University of the Pacific
View all men’s Division 1 tennis colleges.
Women’s D1 tennis colleges in California
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Long Beach
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Pepperdine University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California
- University of the Pacific
View all women’s Division 1 tennis colleges.
Men’s D1 track and field colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Long Beach
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Pepperdine University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California
View all men’s Division 1 track and field colleges.
Women’s D1 track and field colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Long Beach
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Pepperdine University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California
- University of the Pacific
View all women’s Division 1 track and field colleges.
Women’s D1 volleyball colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- California State University – Fullerton
- California State University – Long Beach
- California State University – Northridge
- California State University – Sacramento
- Loyola Marymount University
- Pepperdine University
- Saint Mary’s College of California
- San Diego State University
- San Jose State University
- Santa Clara University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Berkeley
- University of California – Davis
- University of California – Irvine
- University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA
- University of California – Riverside
- University of California – San Diego
- University of California – Santa Barbara
- University of San Diego
- University of San Francisco
- University of Southern California
- University of the Pacific
View all women’s Division 1 volleyball colleges.
Men’s D1 wrestling colleges in California
- California Baptist University
- California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo
- California State University – Bakersfield
- California State University – Fresno
- Loyola Marymount University
- Stanford University
- University of California – Riverside
View all men’s Division 1 wrestling colleges.
D1 college sports recruiting in California
Families can turn to NCSA to improve their children’s chances of being recruited by one or more of California’s D1 colleges — or even an out-of-state D1 school.
Check out our recruitment guide to learn more about how to kick off the recruiting process. For a rundown of key milestones and helpful pointers on targeting the right schools, NCSA’s guide to managing the recruiting process has you covered.
