Medical schools in the state of California are highly competitive, requiring students to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, as well as have an acceptable Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) to be considered for admission. Programs generally take four years to complete, resulting in a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) or Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and followed by periods of internship and residency at a hospital. Written and practical exams must be passed in order to receivelicensurein California. Visit our med school degree page about adegree in medicineor ourPreMedportal for additional information on education and careers.
Get information on the best med schools in California today by utilizing the state listing below or by using our exclusivesearchtechnology. Our educational resources will help you better understand how to become a doctor in California along with information on adjacent degree programs of interest in the medical field such asneuroscience,biomedical science,cytotechnology, andbioinformatics. Learn more and get matched to the best med school in California for you with MatchCollege.
List of Medical Schools in California (9 Schools)
The California medical schools listed below are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which is an organization that provides accreditation for medical education nationwide.
Schools are sorted by size with the largest medical schools first, based on the number of medical student graduates per year.
Loma Linda University in Riverside, CA
Visit the website for Loma Linda University at http://www.llu.edu/index.html
Program Details
- Medical program accredited since 1942
- About 160 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $58,000 per year
University of California - Los Angeles in Irvine, CA
Visit the website for University of California - Los Angeles at http://www.ucla.edu/
Program Details
- Medical program accredited since 1951
- About 160 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $37,000 per year (Nonresidents: $50,000)
University of California - San Francisco (UCSF) in La Jolla, CA
Visit the website for University of California - San Francisco at http://ucsf.edu
Program Details
- Medical program accredited since 1942
- About 160 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $36,000 per year (Nonresidents: $48,000)
University of California - San Diego (UCSD) in Riverside, CA
Visit the website for University of California - San Diego at http://www.ucsd.edu
Program Details
- Medical program accredited since 1968
- About 110 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $36,000 per year (Nonresidents: $49,000)
University of California - Irvine (UCI) in Davis, CA
Visit the website for University of California - Irvine at http://www.uci.edu/
Program Details
- Medical program accredited since 1961
- About 110 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $36,000 per year (Nonresidents: $48,000)
(CAL CBC) in Stockton, CA
Visit the website for at http://elpaso.ttuhsc.edu/
Program Details
- About 100 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $17,000 per year (Nonresidents: $30,000)
University of California - Davis in Berkeley, CA
Visit the website for University of California - Davis at http://ucdavis.edu
Program Details
- About 90 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $36,000 per year (Nonresidents: $48,000)
University of California - Riverside in Los Angeles, CA
Visit the website for University of California - Riverside at http://www.ucr.edu/
Program Details
- About 40 students graduate per year
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $36,000 per year (Nonresidents: $49,000)
University of Southern California in Los Angeles, CA
Visit the website for University of Southern California at http://www.usc.edu/
Program Details
- Medical program accredited since 1949
- Estimated tuition & fees are about $66,000 per year
Physicians can work in many types of specialties which may cause a large range in salary expectations. Here is a list of average annual salaries for general practitioners working in major cities in California.
- Oakland, Hayward, Berkeley: $207,000
- San Diego, Carlsbad: $205,000
- Sacramento, Roseville, Arden, Arcade: $177,000
- San Francisco, Redwood City, South San Francisco: $200,000
- Salinas: $207,000
Doctor's in California Compared to Median Income Averages
+280% Above State Median Income
+288% Above National Median Income
Doctor's in California take home an average 75.00 per hour. Annual earnings for Doctor's working in the State of California average $156,825 which is 280% above the state median income and 288% above the national median income for all occupations. Employment for a Doctor makes up just of the working population in California and is limited due to the specific qualifications required along with the schooling involved in this career path. The increasing demand for qualified Doctors coupled with the educational barrier to enter the field is met with a steady supply of eager college graduates anxious to make a long-lasting impact in the lives of others in and around California.
Average Income for a Doctor in California
| Employment | Median Hourly Wage | Median Annual Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Doctor | 174,360 | $75.00 | $156,825 |
| State Average | 16,070,230.00 | $19.75 | $41,090.00 |
| National Average | 155,760,000.00 | $19.33 | $35,977.00 |
Notes: Tuition & fee amounts are for both California in-state residents and out of state students, unless noted otherwise. The tuition information displayed is an estimate, which we calculated based on historical data and should be solely used for informational purposes only. Please contact the respective doctor school for information about the current school year.
Source: IPEDS Survey 2012-2020: Data obtained from the US Dept. of Education's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Data may vary depending on school and academic year.