Best colleges in San Jose

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Northern California's prized possession: The Bay Area

San Jose is located at the heart of Silicon Valley. The premier computer technology capital of the U.S. proudly houses big-name businesses like Apple, Google, Yahoo, Facebook and more. San Jose thrives off a healthy economy established by tech geniuses from all over the nation. Not from around here? You're in good company. As the 10th largest city in the country, many flock to the San Jose region for unbeatable job opportunities in computers and engineering.

Community colleges are easy to find in the San Jose area, with local access to at least 4 campuses. This great city offers plenty of fun ways to spend evenings and weekends. The city is home to the Sharks hockey team, so be sure to take in a game at the "Shark Tank." Downtown plays host to a variety of gourmet restaurants for evenings out as well as the HP Pavilion, the go-to arena for concerts, sports and special events. Great America amusement park is just down the road, and for those who are still a kid at heart, Raging Waters can't be beat. This waterslide complex feeds into a lake, providing a combination of natural and artificial water experiences. These are just a few of the great amusements found in the South Bay, where San Jose serves as the center hub of food, fun and friendship.

Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the US*www.sanjoseca.gov *Wikipedia, "San Jose"

Best Four Year Universities in San Jose

Stanford University
Stanford, CA
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Founded in 1885, Stanford University is a private research university in the San Francisco metro area and has a total undergraduate enrollment of about 17,000 students. Stanford is made up of three schools with over 40 undergraduate academic departments, and popular graduate programs including medicine, law, and business. The campus was rebuilt after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and is now known for its mission-style architecture, with the Stanford Memorial Church at the epicenter of campus life. 

Stanford is on a quarter-based academic calendar with tuition and fees exceeding $50,000 annually. The school is one of the most highly regarded research institutions and has produced numerous Fulbright and Rhodes Scholars.

In addition to its strong scholastic traditions, Stanford is also known for its local rivalry with UC Berkeley, and their annual meeting known as the “Big Game” takes place at the Rose Bowl. Notable alumni include actress Reese Witherspoon, author John Steinbeck, and former President of the United States, Herbert Hoover.

Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA

Santa Clara University offers 100 degree programs. It's a medium sized, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 2,514 students graduated with students earning 1,363 Bachelor's degrees, 871 Master's degrees, 243 Doctoral degrees, and 37 Certificates.

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San Jose State University offers 205 degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 10,428 students graduated with students earning 7,339 Bachelor's degrees, 2,953 Master's degrees, 103 Certificates, and 33 Doctoral degrees.

University of Silicon Valley offers 10 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 99 students graduated with students earning 96 Bachelor's degrees, and 3 Master's degrees.

Foothill College
Los Altos Hills, CA

Foothill College offers 122 degree programs. It's a large, public, four-year university in a large suburb. In 2022, 1,500 students graduated with students earning 855 Associate's degrees, 569 Certificates, and 76 Bachelor's degrees.

Palo Alto University
Palo Alto, CA

Palo Alto University offers 10 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a outlying rural area. In 2022, 340 students graduated with students earning 193 Master's degrees, 122 Doctoral degrees, and 25 Bachelor's degrees.

Sofia University
Palo Alto, CA

Sofia University offers 9 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, four-year university in a small city. In 2022, 653 students graduated with students earning 635 Master's degrees, 13 Certificates, 4 Doctoral degrees, and 1 Bachelor's degree.

University of East-West Medicine offers 1 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city. In 2022, 23 students graduated with students earning 23 Master's degrees.

International Technological University offers 0 degree programs. It's a very small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a midsize city.

Best Community Colleges in San Jose

Institute for Business and Technology offers 7 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a midsize city.

De Anza College
Cupertino, CA

De Anza College offers 126 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a small city. In 2022, 2,321 students graduated with students earning 1,930 Associate's degrees, and 391 Certificates.

West Valley College
Saratoga, CA

West Valley College offers 118 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 883 students graduated with students earning 790 Associate's degrees, and 93 Certificates.

Evergreen Valley College offers 41 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a large city. In 2022, 872 students graduated with students earning 664 Associate's degrees, and 208 Certificates.

Mission College
Santa Clara, CA

Mission College offers 85 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a midsize city. In 2022, 1,161 students graduated with students earning 712 Associate's degrees, and 449 Certificates.

Gavilan College
Gilroy, CA

Gavilan College offers 87 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a small suburb. In 2022, 578 students graduated with students earning 578 Associate's degrees.

San Jose City College
San Jose, CA

San Jose City College offers 96 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a large city. In 2022, 974 students graduated with students earning 604 Associate's degrees, and 370 Certificates.

Carrington College-San Jose offers 12 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2022, 355 students graduated with students earning 248 Certificates, and 107 Associate's degrees.

List of all colleges in San Jose

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
Stanford University Logo Stanford University Stanford, CA
5/5
13 : 1 18,283
Santa Clara University Logo Santa Clara University Santa Clara, CA
5/5
15 : 1 9,178
San Jose State University Logo San Jose State University San Jose, CA
2/5
40 : 1 35,751
Institute for Business and Technology Logo Institute for Business and Technology Santa Clara, CA   44 : 1 614
De Anza College Logo De Anza College Cupertino, CA
1/5
67 : 1 16,335