Colleges By The Beach For Sun-Seeking Students
- Camila Karalyte
- Jan 16
- 3 min read
Want to work hard and play even harder? Check out these colleges by the beach.
We're all our best selves during a vacation, right? So surely going to a college by the beach will maximize your inner peace and productivity (aka: ace your college assignments).
If you want to step outside of your college dorm and feel like you're on vacation every day, then looking at colleges near the beach is a step in the right direction. Vitamin D to the max, a place to clear your head, somewhere to cool off if college work gets too stressful — the beach is basically free therapy.
If you're a water sign or just fancy yourself a tan, check out the best colleges near the beach (the education is also pretty good, FYI).
Can't go to a college near the beach? Check out our guide to traveling on a budget and save it for your vacation instead.
Make sure you check out our student discounts, too, to make your college life a little more affordable!
In this guide:
Colleges by the beach
Let's go to the beach, beach, let's go get a wave.
Living by the beach doesn't come cheap, so make sure you're in-the-know about student grants for college to help with your finances.
College | Distance to nearest beach | US College Rank 2025 (out of 1726) | Known for majors |
Approx. 11 miles (Myrtle Beach) | 525 | Business, marine, biology, psychology, marketing, exercise science | |
Approx. 2 miles (Ala Moana Beach) | 423 | Oceanography, astronomy, earth science, and marine biology | |
Approx. 4 miles (Elm’s Beach Park) | 688 | Social sciences, biological and biomedical sciences, psychology, and natural resources | |
Opposite campus | 453 | Nursing, psychology, biomedical sciences, business administration, exercise science, and biology | |
2 miles (Malibu Lagoon State Beach) | 221 | Psychology, business, and communications | |
Less than 1 mile (Campus Point Beach) | 48 | Computer science, economics, psychology, social sciences, history, neuroscience, philosophy, mathematics | |
Approx. 6 miles (Playa Del Rey Beach) | 248 | Psychology, marketing, finance, and film and television production | |
Approx. 3 miles (Long Beach City Beach) | 183 | Business, visual and performing arts, engineering, and social sciences |
Unsure what to major in college? We've got the hardest and easiest college majors to help you make your decision.
Colleges near the beach East Coast
College | Distance to nearest beach | US College Rank 2025 (out of 1726) | Known for majors |
Approx. 6 miles (Narragansett Beach) | 152 | Nursing, business, and engineering | |
Approx. 4 miles (Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park) | 269 | Business, education, health sciences, and the arts and humanities | |
Approx. 5 miles (Wrightsville Beach) | 301 | Nursing, business, communications, psychology, and biology | |
Approx. 2 miles (Easton’s beach) | 797 | Business, education, and nursing |
Colleges in Florida near the beach
College | Distance to nearest beach | US College Rank 2025 (out of 1726) | Known for majors |
On campus | 731 | Biological sciences, environmental sciences, and psychology | |
Approx. 4 miles (Spanish River Beach) | 880 | Business, visual and performing arts, psychology, journalism | |
Approx. 19 miles (Fort Myers beach) | 418 | Business, psychology, health professions, and communications |
If you're eager to study psychology as your major, check out the best colleges for psychology.
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