Best colleges in Sacramento

The Golden Capital

Sactown can help you get your diploma in the bag

Picture ocean breezes and sunsets on the horizon. Then wake up, because Sacramento isn't on the coast. Compared to its neighboring cities, one would think there's nothing to do in River City. But this part of Northern California is home to several accredited higher education institutions and one of the strongest community college systems in the state. The city's 28 higher educational institutions include 10 community colleges and one true public 4-year university with more than 60 programs. With the number of degrees constantly rising, it's no surprise that nearly 40% of the Sacramento region has an associate's degree or higher. and though the career focus is primarily dominated by Government jobs, education, and health services, there are other career options available in advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, information technology and agriculture.

Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the US*Bureau of Labor Statistics *National Center for Education Statistics *Forbes, Sacramento *www.portal.cityofsacramento.org *www.sacto.org

Best Four Year Universities in Sacramento

The University of California Davis is a public, land-grant university that was founded in 1959 after 50 years of operating solely as the main agricultural school in the UC system. UC Davis has a total undergraduate enrollment of about 35,000 and is located just west of Sacramento in the suburban town of Davis. The surrounding San Joaquin Valley is the agricultural epicenter of the United States, making Davis a prime location for studying farming techniques, crop genetics, and related fields. UC Davis has a student-to-faculty ratio of 20:1 and a graduation rate of 84.6%.

UC Davis consists of a Campus Core situated on the university quad, South Campus that’s home to the Mondavi Center and Arboretum Way, and West Campus that is reserved primarily for agricultural research and development. The school offers over 80 graduate programs through internationally-renowned departments such as the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and the UC Davis School of Medicine. California residents should note that in-state students pay about half what out-of-state students pay for tuition and fees. 

UC Davis is known as a Public Ivy due to the extensive research programs that operate on-campus and at local facilities including the California Raptor Center, Crocker Nuclear Laboratory, and Bodega Marine Reserve. UC Davis student government (ASUCD) is highly active and works to support student interests through the funding of programs like Picnic Day, KDVS Student Radio, and The Entertainment Council, which works to host live musicians and traveling acts annually. Notable alumni include chef and television personality Martin Yan, comedian Hasan Minhaj, and wrestler John Morrison.

William Jessup University offers 57 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2023, 429 students graduated with students earning 240 Bachelor's degrees, 184 Master's degrees, and 5 Certificates.

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California State University-Sacramento offers 121 degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 8,459 students graduated with students earning 7,530 Bachelor's degrees, 882 Master's degrees, and 47 Doctoral degrees.

Best Community Colleges in Sacramento

MTI College
Sacramento, CA

MTI College offers 33 degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 675 students graduated with students earning 627 Certificates, and 48 Associate's degrees.

Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc offers 3 degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 619 students graduated with students earning 477 Associate's degrees, and 142 Certificates.

Asher College
Sacramento, CA

Asher College offers 18 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 287 students graduated with students earning 195 Associate's degrees, and 92 Certificates.

Cosumnes River College
Sacramento, CA

Cosumnes River College offers 136 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 1,278 students graduated with students earning 1,196 Associate's degrees, and 82 Certificates.

Folsom Lake College
Folsom, CA

Folsom Lake College offers 81 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a small city. In 2023, 1,374 students graduated with students earning 835 Associate's degrees, and 539 Certificates.

Woodland Community College offers 59 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a small suburb. In 2023, 1,587 students graduated with students earning 848 Associate's degrees, and 739 Certificates.

Carrington College-Sacramento offers 27 degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2023, 1,404 students graduated with students earning 990 Certificates, and 414 Associate's degrees.

Sacramento City College
Sacramento, CA

Sacramento City College offers 168 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 1,503 students graduated with students earning 1,310 Associate's degrees, and 193 Certificates.

American River College
Sacramento, CA

American River College offers 214 degree programs. It's a very large, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 2,866 students graduated with students earning 1,918 Associate's degrees, and 948 Certificates.

Sierra College
Rocklin, CA

Sierra College offers 146 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 2,207 students graduated with students earning 2,140 Associate's degrees, and 67 Certificates.

List of all colleges in Sacramento

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
University of California-Davis Logo University of California-Davis Davis, CA
4/5
23 : 1 39,707
William Jessup University Logo William Jessup University Rocklin, CA
5/5
32 : 1 1,484
California State University-Sacramento Logo California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA
2/5
38 : 1 31,172
MTI College Logo MTI College Sacramento, CA   68 : 1 1,025
Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc Logo Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc Sacramento, CA   43 : 1 1,107