The gold rush brought people to San Francisco searching for an opportunity, and there are still treasures for those looking now. There are over 25 colleges and universities that’ll prepare you for careers from accounting or counseling to fashion and game design.* San Francisco has the second leading percentage of residents with a degree, so you’ll fit right in after graduation. With headquarters for over 30 financial institutions, 6 Fortune 500 Companies, and growing biotechnology/research fields,* you’re sure to find a job within your degree.
Each part of the city has a unique character: from the counterculture of Haight-Ashbury to fresh seafood at the Wharf to business in the Financial District. San Francisco houses over 220 parks, including Golden Gate Park and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, providing space for activities like tennis, skateboarding, windsurfing, and sailing. Two professional teams call the Bay home: The 2010 and 2012 World Series Champions, the Giants, and NFL’s 49ers. Classical performing arts companies and music venues provide diverse entertainment, including The Fillmore, where Led Zepplin first performed.* With these opportunities and so many more, San Francisco is still the Golden Gate-so rush out here and find your treasure.
Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the US*National Center for Education Statistics *Wikipedia, “San Francisco”The University of California Berkeley or UC Berkeley is a public institution that was founded in 1868. Located in Berkeley, California, this school was the first campus that was built in the University of California System and offers over 130 academic departments and 80 interdisciplinary research groups with the business school, computer engineering, and biological sciences programs ranking in the top nationally. UC Berkeley has a total undergraduate enrollment of around 32,000 students that take classes according to a semester-based academic calendar. Prospective students should note that California residents receive in-state tuition at a much lower rate than applicants from out-of-state.
UC Berkeley has a history of student-based political action and discussion and was the center of the Free Speech Movement, which began in 1964 and fueled opposition to segregation and the Vietnam War. The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is an impressive 91.9%, thanks in part to the student-to-faculty ratio of 19:1.
UC Berkeley is known for its campus architecture, but the University Botanical Garden also draws international attention with over 10,000 types of plant species. Beyond academics, UC Berkeley athletic teams, represented by their campus mascot Oski the Bear, compete in the PAC-12 with an annual football rivalry with Stanford. Notable alumni include U.S. women’s soccer star Alex Morgan, actor Gregory Peck, and the legendary queen of Americana cuisine, Alice Waters.
University of San Francisco offers 108 degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 2,992 students graduated with students earning 1,532 Master's degrees, 1,295 Bachelor's degrees, 163 Doctoral degrees, and 2 Certificates.
Saint Mary's College of California offers 122 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2023, 880 students graduated with students earning 512 Bachelor's degrees, 333 Master's degrees, 23 Certificates, and 12 Doctoral degrees.
Dominican University of California offers 36 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2023, 831 students graduated with students earning 510 Master's degrees, 319 Bachelor's degrees, and 2 Doctoral degrees.
San Francisco Conservatory of Music offers 38 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 186 students graduated with students earning 104 Master's degrees, 51 Bachelor's degrees, and 31 Certificates.
Unitek College offers 8 degree programs. It's a medium sized, private for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2023, 1,318 students graduated with students earning 860 Certificates, 340 Associate's degrees, and 118 Bachelor's degrees.
San Francisco State University offers 237 degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 6,478 students graduated with students earning 5,360 Bachelor's degrees, 1,089 Master's degrees, and 29 Doctoral degrees.
California College of the Arts offers 33 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 464 students graduated with students earning 279 Bachelor's degrees, and 185 Master's degrees.
Menlo College offers 13 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2023, 182 students graduated with students earning 182 Bachelor's degrees.
Lincoln University offers 6 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2023, 48 students graduated with students earning 28 Master's degrees, and 20 Bachelor's degrees.
College of San Mateo offers 142 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a midsize city. In 2023, 793 students graduated with students earning 676 Associate's degrees, and 117 Certificates.
Las Positas College offers 126 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a small city. In 2023, 770 students graduated with students earning 766 Associate's degrees, and 4 Certificates.
Ohlone College offers 112 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a midsize city. In 2023, 572 students graduated with students earning 560 Associate's degrees, and 12 Certificates.
San Francisco Film School offers 2 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 37 students graduated with students earning 24 Certificates, and 13 Associate's degrees.
Carrington College-San Leandro Campus offers 6 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 296 students graduated with students earning 272 Certificates, and 24 Associate's degrees.
Diablo Valley College offers 171 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 2,286 students graduated with students earning 1,677 Associate's degrees, and 609 Certificates.
Los Medanos College offers 89 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 1,446 students graduated with students earning 1,039 Associate's degrees, and 407 Certificates.
Contra Costa College offers 91 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2023, 868 students graduated with students earning 603 Associate's degrees, and 265 Certificates.
Berkeley City College offers 71 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a midsize city. In 2023, 462 students graduated with students earning 257 Associate's degrees, and 205 Certificates.
City College of San Francisco offers 231 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a large city. In 2023, 1,787 students graduated with students earning 1,236 Associate's degrees, and 551 Certificates.
School | Average Tuition | Student Teacher Ratio | Enrolled Students | |
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University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 23 : 1 | 45,699 | |
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University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | 20 : 1 | 9,212 | |
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Saint Mary's College of California Moraga, CA | 14 : 1 | 2,775 | |
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Dominican University of California San Rafael, CA | 19 : 1 | 2,026 | |
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San Francisco Conservatory of Music San Francisco, CA | 13 : 1 | 403 |