There are 3 colleges located in Santa Cruz, California. In addition, there are 28 schools near the city within 30 miles. By school types, there are 17 public and 14 private schools. By school level, there are 13 four-year colleges, 12 community colleges, and 6 trade schools.
Santa Cruz 4-Year Colleges 2025 Academic Statistics
The largest school among 4-year colleges near Santa Cruz, California is San Jose State University with 37,661 students enrolled. The second largest school is De Anza College with 17,425 students.
The average undergraduate tuition & fees for 13 4-year colleges is $6,872 for California residents and $30,505 for out-of-state students. For graduate programs, the tuition & fees are $11,549 for California residents and $29,786 for out-of-state students.
The average acceptance rate of the schools is 73.95% and the yield (enrollment rate) is 12.85%. The average graduation rate is 68% and total 113,285 students enrolled in the schools. Among enrolled students, 22,847 students enrolled online exclusively in colleges near Santa Cruz, California.
Quick Summary for 4-Year Colleges Near Santa Cruz, California
- Number of Schools: 7 Public, 6 Private
- Largest College: San Jose State University (37,661 students)
- Average Undergraduate Tuition: $30,505 (Out-of-state), $6,872 (In-state)
- Average Graduate Tuition: $29,786 (Out-of-state), $11,549 (In-state)
- Average Acceptance Rate: 73.95%
- Average SAT Score: 1,420
- Average Graduation Rate: 68%
- Total Enrollment: 113,285 students
- Online Enrollment: 22,847 students
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 93,253 students
- Graduate Enrollment: 20,032 students
- Gender Distribution: 54,585 Men, 58,700 Women
Santa Cruz Community Colleges 2025 Academic Statistics
The average undergraduate tuition & fees for 12 community colleges is $1,379 for California residents and $12,652 for out-of-state students.
The average graduation rate is 45% and total 67,771 students enrolled in the schools. Among enrolled students, 19,546 students enrolled online exclusively in colleges near Santa Cruz, California.
Quick Summary for Community Colleges (2-4 Years) Near Santa Cruz, California
- Number of Schools: 10 Public, 2 Private
- Average Tuition: $12,652 (Out-of-state), $1,379 (In-state)
- Average Graduation Rate: 45%
- Total Enrollment: 67,771 students
31 Colleges Comparison Near Santa Cruz
The following table lists and compares 31 Colleges near Santa Cruz, California with tuition and important academic facts. You can sort the table by touching/clicking a column title that you want to sort.
Tuition Comparison between 4-Year Colleges near Santa Cruz
| School Name | City (distance from city center) | Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | Graduate Tuition & Fees | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Enrollment | Student To faculty Ratio |
|---|
| University of California-Santa Cruzpublic |
Santa Cruz
(1.8 miles) |
$46,923
($15,035) | $30,512
($15,410) |
65.79% |
- |
19,938 |
22 to 1 |
|---|
| Five Branches Universityprivate (for-profit) |
Santa Cruz
(2.2 miles) |
$19,360 | $19,675 |
- |
- |
321 |
- |
|---|
| De Anza Collegepublic |
Cupertino
(23.6 miles) |
$12,596
($1,571) | - |
- |
- |
17,425 |
28 to 1 |
|---|
| Santa Clara Universityprivate (not-for-profit) |
Santa Clara
(26.1 miles) |
$61,293 | $31,694 |
48.00% |
1420 |
9,728 |
11 to 1 |
|---|
| San Jose State Universitypublic |
San Jose
(26.2 miles) |
$21,010
($8,410) | $20,014
($9,934) |
84.61% |
- |
37,661 |
25 to 1 |
|---|
| California State University-Monterey Baypublic |
Seaside
(26.2 miles) |
$20,379
($7,779) | $19,383
($9,303) |
97.40% |
- |
7,713 |
24 to 1 |
|---|
| Foothill Collegepublic |
Los Altos Hills
(27.0 miles) |
$12,590
($1,565) | - |
- |
- |
12,949 |
26 to 1 |
|---|
| Foothill-De Anza Community College Districtpublic |
Los Altos Hills
(27.0 miles) |
- | - |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|---|
| Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Montereyprivate (not-for-profit) |
Monterey
(27.3 miles) |
$48,654 | $48,654 |
- |
- |
526 |
1 to 1 |
|---|
| Gurnick Academy of Medical Artsprivate (for-profit) |
San Jose
(27.5 miles) |
$37,638 | - |
- |
- |
3,437 |
18 to 1 |
|---|
| Naval Postgraduate Schoolpublic |
Monterey
(27.9 miles) |
- | - |
- |
- |
2,441 |
- |
|---|
| University of East-West Medicineprivate (for-profit) |
Sunnyvale
(28.3 miles) |
- | $18,188 |
- |
- |
81 |
- |
|---|
| Palo Alto Universityprivate (not-for-profit) |
Palo Alto
(29.1 miles) |
$24,604 | $50,166 |
- |
- |
1,065 |
15 to 1 |
|---|
Tuition Comparison between Community Colleges (2-4 Years) near Santa Cruz
| School Name | City (distance from city center) | Tuition & Fees | Graduation Rate | Enrollment | Student To faculty Ratio |
|---|
| Cabrillo Collegepublic |
Aptos
(6.1 miles) |
$9,862
($1,270) | 38% |
9,457 |
20 to 1 |
|---|
| West Valley Mission Community College District Officepublic |
Saratoga
(19.8 miles) |
- | - |
- |
- |
|---|
| West Valley Collegepublic |
Saratoga
(19.8 miles) |
$9,320
($1,490) | 51% |
7,655 |
29 to 1 |
|---|
| Carrington College-San Joseprivate (for-profit) |
San Jose
(23.4 miles) |
$22,404 | 60% |
645 |
14 to 1 |
|---|
| San Jose City Collegepublic |
San Jose
(24.1 miles) |
$11,922
($1,366) | 34% |
8,609 |
26 to 1 |
|---|
| Gavilan Collegepublic |
Gilroy
(25.7 miles) |
$12,249
($1,508) | 42% |
6,083 |
27 to 1 |
|---|
| San Jose-Evergreen Community College Districtpublic |
San Jose
(25.9 miles) |
- | - |
- |
- |
|---|
| Evergreen Valley Collegepublic |
San Jose
(26.8 miles) |
$8,718
($1,366) | 41% |
9,336 |
27 to 1 |
|---|
| Monterey Peninsula Collegepublic |
Monterey
(28.1 miles) |
$10,532
($1,188) | 40% |
7,173 |
23 to 1 |
|---|
| Central Coast Collegeprivate (for-profit) |
Salinas
(28.3 miles) |
$18,614 | 67% |
631 |
30 to 1 |
|---|
| Mission Collegepublic |
Santa Clara
(28.7 miles) |
$12,500
($1,438) | 39% |
6,909 |
26 to 1 |
|---|
| Hartnell Collegepublic |
Salinas
(29.3 miles) |
$10,398
($1,404) | 40% |
11,273 |
22 to 1 |
|---|
Tuition Comparison between Trade Schools near Santa Cruz
| School Name | City (distance from city center) | Tuition & Fees | Graduation Rate | Enrollment | Student To faculty Ratio |
|---|
| CET-Watsonvilleprivate (not-for-profit) |
Watsonville
(15.1 miles) |
$15,249 | 83% |
142 |
24 to 1 |
|---|
| The Salon Professional Academy-San Joseprivate (for-profit) |
San Jose
(21.8 miles) |
$14,950 | 95% |
196 |
24 to 1 |
|---|
| CET-San Joseprivate (not-for-profit) |
San Jose
(25.1 miles) |
$16,375 | 81% |
266 |
20 to 1 |
|---|
| Paul Mitchell the School-San Joseprivate (for-profit) |
San Jose
(26.9 miles) |
$13,205 | 28% |
91 |
8 to 1 |
|---|
| CET-Salinasprivate (not-for-profit) |
Salinas
(28.3 miles) |
$15,249 | 68% |
171 |
21 to 1 |
|---|
| Waynes College of Beautyprivate (for-profit) |
Salinas
(28.6 miles) |
$18,075 | 93% |
46 |
15 to 1 |
|---|