Largest Credit Unions in California in 2026: California has some of the biggest credit unions in the United States. They serve millions of people and hold billions of dollars in assets. In 2026, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union still leads the state in total assets. After that come First Tech Federal Credit Union and Golden 1 Credit Union.
The figures here come from the National Credit Union Administration, also called the NCUA. They use the Call Report for the first quarter of 2026. The reporting window ends March 31, 2026. In that report, NCUA tracks basic items like total assets, loans and membership.
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15 Largest Credit Unions in California in 2026
The ranking is based on total assets reported in the Q1 2026 NCUA Call Report data.
1. SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union is listed as the leading credit union in California for 2026. The latest quarterly numbers put it at about $36.74 billion in assets and a little over 1.56 million members.
The credit union is based in Tustin. It has long ties to the education sector in California. It started in 1934 with 126 school workers. Today it mainly serves school employees and their families.
SchoolsFirst says it is California’s largest credit union. It also reports more than $36 billion in assets and over 1.5 million members. For 2026, it noted growth in its branch network, reaching 73 locations.
Industry groups have kept noticing SchoolsFirst. In April 2026, the credit union said J.D. Power ranked it No. 1 for member banking satisfaction. It was the second year in a row.
2. First Tech Federal Credit Union
First Tech Federal Credit Union comes in second in California. In the Q1 2026 data, it shows about $28.58 billion in assets and close to 1.87 million members.
The credit union has a notable role in the tech and innovation space. This is especially true in Northern California. Its membership size and asset totals put it ahead of most other credit unions in the state.
3. Golden 1 Credit Union
Golden 1 Credit Union ranks third. The figures are about $21.74 billion in assets and about 1.2 million members.
Golden 1 is headquartered in Sacramento. It has one of the widest consumer reach areas among California credit unions. People can join if they live or work in California. That means its possible member pool is larger than credit unions that focus on one employer or one job group. Golden 1 reported more than $22 billion in assets and more than 1.2 million members.
4. Redwood Credit Union
Redwood Credit Union lists about $9.95 billion in assets. It is the fourth-largest credit union in California.
Redwood is headquartered in Santa Rosa. It offers banking and lending in parts of Northern California. Over time, it has built a strong retail presence.
In asset size, Redwood sits just ahead of Logix, Patelco, Star One, and San Diego County Credit Union. That puts those organizations into a tight cluster for spots four through eight.
5. Logix Federal Credit Union
Logix Federal Credit Union has around $9.72 billion in assets. In Q1 2026, it reported close to 245,000 members.
Its asset total is only a bit less than Redwood’s. So the race for fourth and fifth looks close. The difference is much smaller than the gap between the top three and the rest of the list.
6. Patelco Credit Union
Patelco Credit Union took sixth place. It reported about $9.62 billion in assets and nearly 544,000 members.
Patelco is well known in Northern California. It also stays near the top in both assets and membership across the state.
7. Star One Credit Union
Star One Credit Union came in seventh. It reported roughly $9.58 billion in assets.
A key point is its membership count. It has about 134,000 members, which is lower than several other major credit unions in California. With fewer members, its large asset base is spread over a smaller group.
8. San Diego County Credit Union
San Diego County Credit Union (SDCCU) ranked eighth, with approximately $9.38 billion in assets and more than 413,000 members.
SDCCU is one of the major credit unions serving Southern California, particularly the San Diego region.
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9. Mission Federal Credit Union
Mission Federal Credit Union ranked ninth with approximately $7.23 billion in assets and nearly 331,000 members.
Its position reflects the continued strength of San Diego’s credit-union market, with Mission Federal and SDCCU both appearing among California’s 10 largest credit unions.
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10. Wescom Central Credit Union
Wescom Central Credit Union finished in the top 10. It reported about $6.47 billion in assets and over 263,000 members.
Wescom is still among the bigger credit unions working with people across Southern California.
11. Kinecta Federal Credit Union
Kinecta Federal Credit Union had around $6.44 billion in assets and close to 230,000 members.
Its total assets sit near Wescom Central. In the newest list, the gap between them is small.
12. Travis Credit Union
Travis Credit Union came in at number 12. It posted roughly $5.69 billion in assets and more than 271,000 members.
Travis serves communities in Northern California. It also holds a large number of members.
13. Chevron Federal Credit Union
Chevron Federal Credit Union had about $5.44 billion in assets. It placed 13th among California’s largest credit unions.
Its membership ties have long been linked to Chevron and related eligible groups. That connection helps account for its big asset base, even with about 140,000 members.
14. California Credit Union
California Credit Union ranked 14th. It listed approximately $5.41 billion in assets and more than 212,000 members.
It has a solid connection to California’s education sector and serves eligible members throughout the state.
15. Educational Employees Credit Union
Educational Employees Credit Union, also known as EECU, closed out the top 15. It reported about $5.38 billion in assets and over 400,000 members.
Even with the 15th-place asset total, EECU has a much larger membership than some credit unions above it.
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How Large Is California’s Credit-Union Sector?
California’s biggest credit unions run on a scale that looks like large banks in other parts of the US. The top three are SchoolsFirst, First Tech, and Golden 1. Each one has over $20 billion in assets. Together, they hold a big portion of credit union assets in the state.
On the national side, the NCUA said federally backed credit unions had $2.48 trillion in total assets in Q1 2026. That is up 4.9% from the year before. Loans totaled $1.73 trillion. The typical loan balance came in at $19,557.
In California, the median annual asset growth for credit unions was 1.8% for the year ending Q1 2026. This comes from the NCUA quarterly review at the state level.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the largest credit union in California in 2026?
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union is the largest credit union in California by total assets, with approximately $36.7 billion in assets based on Q1 2026 NCUA data. SchoolsFirst also identifies itself as California’s largest credit union.
What are the three largest credit unions in California?
The three largest by total assets are:
1. SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union: $36.7 billion
2. First Tech Federal Credit Union: $28.6 billion
3. Golden 1 Credit Union: $21.7 billion
Which California credit union has the most members?
Using the Q1 2026 NCUA numbers in this list, First Tech Federal Credit Union reported the biggest membership size among the top credit unions in California. It had about 1.87 million members.
How did the list pick the order?
The ranking leans on total assets. It uses the Q1 2026 NCUA Call Report details for federally insured credit unions. That approach keeps the comparison level for firms in California.
Is SchoolsFirst the biggest credit union in the country?
No. In Q1 2026, SchoolsFirst ranked third in the U.S. by assets. It sits below Navy Federal Credit Union and State Employees’ Credit Union based on rankings built from NCUA data.
