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!
John Paul the Great Catholic University
John Paul the Great Catholic University is a private Catholic institution in Escondido, California, just 15 miles from the sunny San Diego coast. This unique school focuses on creative arts and business innovation through a project-based curriculum, allowing students to graduate in just three years. With a tight-knit community of fewer than 300 students, JPCatholic offers a robust liberal arts foundation and professional mentorship from industry experts who have worked at major studios like Disney and Pixar.
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.
Connect me with Seattle Pacific!
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.
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.
Connect me with ERAU—Daytona Beach!
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University is a public research university in Boca Raton, Florida, located just minutes from the Atlantic Ocean. Serving over 30,000 students across six coastal campuses, FAU offers unparalleled access to world-class beaches and a thriving professional landscape. As a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and the most diverse public university in Florida, FAU is recognized for its commitment to student success. The University offers more than 170 degree programs with notable strengths in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, and Nursing. With over 200 days of sunshine a year, FAU provides the perfect balance of high-level research and a relaxed, seaside lifestyle.
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.
Connect me with NYU Abu Dhabi!
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.
