For some students, campus location weighs heavily on their final college decision. Students may have preferences for warm vs. cold climates; some may like urban or rural areas; the list goes on and on. One locational vibe many students seek is a college near the beach. The idea of getting out of class and taking a stroll in the sand is too tempting to resist. Who wouldn’t enjoy a campus or college town that seems like a vacation?
If this is the kind of higher education lifestyle you’re looking for, then check out this list of great colleges and universities near the beach—on both the West and East Coasts. The best part is you can request more information from any of these colleges directly from this list by clicking the green “Connect me” buttons. Happy surfing!
West Coast beaches
These are some of the best schools you’ll find near the beach on the West Coast. If you’re looking for traditional beaches with beautiful weather year-round, look at California schools. But you can find some weather variation and still pursue your West Coast dreams on the rocky beaches of Washington State!
Angeles College
Angeles College is a private specialized health sciences institution in Los Angeles, California. Despite being located in the heart of downtown LA, Angeles is still within a 30-minute drive of gorgeous coastal places like Santa Monica Beach, Marina Del Rey, and Venice Beach. The College offers nearly 500 students degree and certificate programs in Nursing and Nursing Assistantship as well as Business Administration, preparing aspiring health care professionals to pursue licensure and various careers in the field.
California Baptist University
California Baptist University is a private Baptist university in Riverside, California—60 miles east of Los Angeles. The University’s Riverside location offers breathtaking views of the San Bernardino Mountains, many warm and sunny days, and access to California’s famous beaches like Malibu, Santa Monica, Laguna, and Newport. CBU offers two associate degree programs, more than 100 bachelor’s programs, 40 master’s degrees, and seven doctoral programs to more than 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
Concordia University Irvine
Concordia University Irvine is a private Lutheran university in Irvine, California—50 miles south of Los Angeles. Concordia’s campus sits on a spectacular 70-acre plateau overlooking Orange County, only six miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and well-known sunny spots like Laguna Beach. CUI offers more than 60 career-relevant undergraduate and graduate programs to a total enrollment of more than 3,400 students.
Dominican University of California
Dominican University of California is a private independent Catholic college located in San Rafael, California. Dominican students benefit from all the beauty of San Francisco, with the Golden Gate Bridge, the rocky coast and sandy beaches, and Redwood forests all within 30 minutes of campus. The University enrolls nearly 2,000 students and offers over 60 majors, minors, and concentrations as well as service learning trips, internships, fieldwork, community-based research, and global learning opportunities.
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is a private Christian university in Malibu, California—only 12 miles from Santa Monica and 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The University offers students a beautiful 830-acre beachfront campus that overlooks the Pacific Ocean and also sits atop Malibu’s Santa Monica Mountains. Pepperdine offers 45 majors and 40 minors to 3,400 undergraduate students through the Schools of Law and Public Policy and the Divisions of Business, Communications, Fine Arts, Humanities, Natural Science, Religion, and Social Science.
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle Pacific University is a private Methodist university on a 43-acre urban campus in downtown Seattle, Washington. Students benefit from living in the beautiful Queen Anne neighborhood, where they can enjoy the laid-back, seaside vibe of the vibrant city of Seattle, complete with easy access to coastal activities like kayaking, beachcombing, and exploring the picturesque waterfront. The University offers more than 70 undergraduate majors, 55+ minors, and a 13:1 student-faculty ratio to more than 3,000 students.
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University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco is a private Jesuit university in San Francisco, California. USF’s 55-acre campus sits on a hilltop in the geographic center of the city, giving students convenient access to beaches and other natural beauty, cultural attractions, internships, and more. The University offers over 100 majors, minors, and interdisciplinary concentrations to more than 9,200 total students through the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, School of Management, School of Nursing and Health Professions, School of Education, and School of Law.
East Coast beaches
While the East Coast may not be as warm as California, the beauty of its beaches cannot be understated. Check out these colleges and universities on the beach from southeast Florida all the way to New England.
Barry University
Barry University is a private Catholic liberal arts university in Miami Shores, Florida. Barry is within 10 miles of the many gorgeous beaches, shops, and attractions of Tampa and Tampa Bay. The University enrolls more than 3,300 undergraduate students and offers 100+ academic programs, including majors in Business, Communications, Computer Science, Education, Health, Law, and more.
Eckerd College
Eckerd College is a private Presbyterian college in St. Petersburg, Florida—only 25 miles from Tampa. With a 188-acre campus on Boca Ciega Bay, Eckerd students enjoy a mile of breezy waterfront and take advantage of the many experiential learning and water-based intramural, club, and intercollegiate sports available. The College also offers 42 majors, 52 minors, and over 80 on-campus clubs to around 2,000 students from 48 states and 35 countries.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University—Daytona Beach
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a private specialized institution in Daytona Beach, Florida—with another campus in Prescott, Arizona. Located near “The World’s Most Famous Beach," ERAU’s campus sees more than 230+ days of sunshine a year, making it an ideal place for students to live, study, and fly. ERAU specializes in undergraduate and graduate Aerospace and Aviation Engineering programs and offers more than 100 student clubs and organizations as well as 19 NCAA Division II athletic teams.
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Florida Institute of Technology
Florida Institute of Technology is a private science and engineering school in Melbourne, Florida—60 minutes from downtown Orlando. Ranked one of the “top five places to live near the beach,” FIT’s 130-acre campus provides easy access to high-tech organizations, art scenes, beaches teeming with surf culture, the Kennedy Space Center, Orlando attractions, and more. The School offers more than 200 programs and a 13:1 student-faculty ratio to more than 3,400+ undergraduate students from more than 80 countries.
Lynn University
Lynn University is a private liberal arts university in Boca Raton, Florida—23 miles from Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach and 50 miles from Miami. Lynn is surrounded by many beautiful beaches, entertainment venues, and thriving businesses; popular spots include Deerfield and Delray beaches for the boardwalk, beachside cafes, and shops. More than 3,500 students come to Lynn from 45 states and 101 countries to pursue 110 undergraduate and graduate programs.
Monmouth University
Monmouth University is a private comprehensive university in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Just five minutes from campus are the beaches of the Jersey Shore and unique cultural experiences, including Asbury Park’s legendary music scene, Red Bank’s theaters and dining options, and Long Branch’s waterfront recreational activities and upscale shopping. Monmouth’s nearly 5,000 undergraduate students come from 30 states and 30 countries to learn in 33 undergraduate programs.
New York University Abu Dhabi
New York University is a private university in New York City, New York, with two other campuses in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai. Though this beachy school technically lies in the Persian Gulf and not on the East Coast, it deserves mentioning on this list: NYU Abu Dhabi is located on an 80-acre campus on Saadiyat Island, right near the beach, and offers students a diverse liberal arts and research education. The Abu Dhabi campus also offers 25 undergraduate majors to over 1,600 students from more than 115 countries.
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Salve Regina University
Salve Regina University is a private Roman Catholic liberal arts university in Newport, Rhode Island—35 miles from Providence. Named one of the “50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America,” Salve Regina sits on an 80-acre coastal campus that’s recognized by the National Register of Historic Places for its turn-of-the-century summer estate buildings. The University offers 46 majors, 42 minors, and nearly 70 on-campus organizations to 2,700 total students.
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private research university in Coral Gables, Florida—just seven miles from downtown Miami. Miami is home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, just steps away from its bustling and diverse downtown area where hands-on learning opportunities abound for students. The University offers 100+ programs and 300+ clubs and organizations to more than 19,000 students from across the nation and around the world.
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is a comprehensive public university in Kingston, Rhode Island—30 miles south of Providence. Recently named the “Most Beautiful Coastal Campus” on the East Coast, the University sits on 1,200 picturesque acres just minutes from the beach. URI offers 90 undergraduate and 80 graduate degree programs through the Colleges of Arts & Science, Business Administration, Engineering, Environmental & Life Sciences, Human Science & Services, Nursing, and Pharmacy.
University of Tampa
The University of Tampa is a comprehensive private university in Tampa, Florida. Located on the Gulf Coast, UT’s campus allows easy access to career-building internships, arts and entertainment, and sporting events in downtown Tampa as well as world-renowned Gulf beaches. The University offers 200 fields of study to 9,600 students through the College of Business, College of Arts & Letters, College of Natural & Health Sciences, and College of Social Sciences, Mathematics & Education.
