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St. Joseph's Basilica (Alameda, CA) (cropped)Photo: Sanfranman59 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Colleges in and near Alameda

Alameda is home to College of Alameda

College of Alameda (1,635 students on campus) is inside the city, and Laney College (6,027) is 3.8 miles from the center, just over the line in Oakland. About 6% of Alameda’s residents are enrolled in college, below California (8%).

Laney College

From the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard, June 2026; IPEDS fall 2023 enrollment) and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2020–24. Straight-line distances from the center of Alameda. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
32
149,223 students on campus
Nearest college
2.9 mi
College of Alameda
Residents in college
6%
Below CA (8%)
Nearest community college
2.9 mi
College of Alameda · $1,258 tuition
Nearest public university
8.9 mi
University of California College of the Law-San Francisco
Median household income
$138K
prices below start here

What stands out about college in Alameda

Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.

A community college 3.8 miles awayLaney College has 6,027 students on campus in Oakland, 31% of whom graduate within three years.A community college 2.9 miles awayCollege of Alameda in Alameda: tuition and fees $1,258 a year for California residents.Students are 6% of residentsBelow California (8%). The Census counts anyone enrolled, including part-time and online students.
Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of Alameda

19 private colleges within 10.7 miles, five public colleges within 12.7 miles, and eight community colleges.

5 mi10 mi15 miUniversity of California-BerkeleyAlameda
University or collegeCommunity college
College of AlamedaCommunity college · Public · 1,635 on campus · In Alameda · mostly online$8knet price33%graduate$43kearnings72% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Tuition and fees: $1,258 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Laney CollegeCommunity college · Public · 6,027 on campus · 3.8 mi · Oakland$17knet price31%graduate$37kearningsTuition and fees: $1,258 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Lincoln UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 474 on campus · 4.3 mi · Oakland100%graduate$54kearningsAcademy of Chinese Culture and Health SciencesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 122 on campus · 4.4 mi · OaklandGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Northeastern University OaklandUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 657 on campus · 5.1 mi · Oakland17%admitted$25knet price$93kearningsEarnings are reported for all 3 campuses that file with it.Samuel Merritt UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,516 on campus · 5.4 mi · Oakland$143kearningsMerritt CollegeCommunity college · Public · 2,888 on campus · 6 mi · Oakland · mostly online$14knet price26%graduate$44kearnings57% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Tuition and fees: $1,258 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.California College of the ArtsUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,332 on campus · 7.8 mi · San Francisco91%admitted$54knet price61%graduate$49kearningsCarrington College-San Leandro CampusUniversity or college · For-profit · 401 on campus · 7.9 mi · San Leandro$40knet price59%graduate$40kearningsEarnings are reported for all 5 campuses that file with it.Golden Gate UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 502 on campus · 8.2 mi · San Francisco · mostly online$87kearnings78% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Academy of Art UniversityUniversity or college · For-profit · 2,900 on campus · 8.3 mi · San Francisco · mostly online$41knet price34%graduate$39kearnings54% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College-BerkeleyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 119 on campus · 8.3 mi · BerkeleyGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.San Francisco Film SchoolUniversity or college · For-profit · 141 on campus · 8.4 mi · San Francisco$32knet price67%graduateMinerva UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 603 on campus · 8.5 mi · San Francisco3%admittedThe Wright InstituteUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 511 on campus · 8.7 mi · BerkeleyGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Berkeley City CollegeCommunity college · Public · 2,915 on campus · 8.8 mi · Berkeley · mostly online$9knet price36%graduate$41kearnings55% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.Tuition and fees: $1,258 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.California Institute of Integral StudiesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 980 on campus · 8.8 mi · San Francisco · mostly online$49kearnings52% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.University of California College of the Law-San FranciscoUniversity or college · Public · 1,159 on campus · 8.9 mi · San FranciscoGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.University of California-BerkeleyUniversity or college · Public · 43,954 on campus · 9 mi · Berkeley11%admitted$13knet price93%graduate$92kearningsSan Francisco Conservatory of MusicUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 403 on campus · 9 mi · San Francisco55%admitted$43knet price74%graduateGraduate Theological UnionUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 140 on campus · 9.2 mi · BerkeleyGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Pacific School of ReligionUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 128 on campus · 9.3 mi · BerkeleyGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.City College of San FranciscoCommunity college · Public · 13,762 on campus · 10.5 mi · San Francisco$7knet price40%graduate$46kearningsTuition and fees: $1,696 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.University of San FranciscoUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 8,633 on campus · 10.6 mi · San Francisco62%admitted$41knet price70%graduate$90kearningsLife Chiropractic College WestUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 613 on campus · 10.6 mi · HaywardGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Saint Mary's College of CaliforniaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,642 on campus · 10.7 mi · Moraga87%admitted$30knet price70%graduate$79kearningsChabot CollegeCommunity college · Public · 7,625 on campus · 10.9 mi · Hayward$9knet price47%graduate$48kearningsTuition and fees: $1,150 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.University of California-San FranciscoUniversity or college · Public · 3,113 on campus · 10.9 mi · San FranciscoGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.San Francisco State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · 21,943 on campus · 11.9 mi · San Francisco96%admitted$12knet price50%graduate$68kearningsCalifornia State University-East BayUniversity or college · Public · 8,951 on campus · 12.7 mi · Hayward97%admitted$9knet price48%graduate$71kearningsSkyline CollegeCommunity college · Public · 5,706 on campus · 13.7 mi · San Bruno$2knet price44%graduate$56kearningsTuition and fees: $1,272 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.College of San MateoCommunity college · Public · 6,728 on campus · 14.8 mi · San Mateo$1knet price61%graduate$54kearningsTuition and fees: $1,332 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.

Degree-granting colleges with 100 or more students on campus (fall 2023 enrollment, minus students who study only online). Admitted: share of applicants offered a place. Net price: the average a year after grants, for students on federal aid. Graduate: within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting.

What it costs

What would your family pay?

The average a year after grants, for families on federal aid, at the colleges within 15 miles. Pick your family’s income.

Family income

Starts at Over $110k, where Alameda’s median household income ($137,697) falls.

Skyline College13.7 mi · San Bruno · sticker $11,880 · tuition $1,272$5,974a year
Chabot College10.9 mi · Hayward · sticker $17,456 · tuition $1,150$6,370a year
City College of San Francisco10.5 mi · San Francisco · sticker $16,870 · tuition $1,696$13,974a year
California State University-East Bay12.7 mi · Hayward · sticker $22,850$19,397a year
Merritt College6 mi · Oakland · mostly online · sticker $21,424 · tuition $1,258$20,036a year
San Francisco State University11.9 mi · San Francisco · sticker $26,488$22,523a year
University of California-Berkeley9 mi · Berkeley · sticker $45,619$34,529a year
Northeastern University Oakland5.1 mi · Oakland · sticker $85,418$38,398a year
Saint Mary's College of California10.7 mi · Moraga · sticker $77,659$40,581a year
Academy of Art University8.3 mi · San Francisco · mostly online · sticker $48,036$44,082a year
Carrington College-San Leandro Campus7.9 mi · San Leandro · sticker $44,224$44,224a year
San Francisco Conservatory of Music9 mi · San Francisco · sticker $78,781$45,245a year
University of San Francisco10.6 mi · San Francisco · sticker $80,141$52,497a year
California College of the Arts7.8 mi · San Francisco · sticker $79,776$56,394a year
College of AlamedaIn Alameda · mostly online · sticker $18,185 · tuition $1,258—a year
Laney College3.8 mi · Oakland · sticker $25,335 · tuition $1,258—a year
San Francisco Film School8.4 mi · San Francisco · sticker $37,597—a year
Berkeley City College8.8 mi · Berkeley · mostly online · sticker $18,845 · tuition $1,258—a year
College of San Mateo14.8 mi · San Mateo · sticker $10,837 · tuition $1,332—a year

The average a year after grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time students on federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Your own price depends on your aid package; every college has a net price calculator. For community colleges the net price counts housing and food at full cost, so tuition is shown beside it. “—”: not reported for that income.

Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay?

Each dot is a college within 15 miles of Alameda: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.

$0$20k$40k$60k$80k$100k0%25%50%75%100%Graduate →University of California-BerkeleyCity College of San FranciscoUniversity of San FranciscoChabot CollegeSan Francisco StateCalifornia State University-East Bay
University of California-Berkeley93% graduate$92k earnings$13k typical debt
San Francisco State University50% graduate$68k earnings$15k typical debt
City College of San Francisco40% graduate$46k earnings$8k typical debt
California State University-East Bay48% graduate$71k earnings$17k typical debt
University of San Francisco70% graduate$90k earnings$23k typical debt
Chabot College47% graduate$48k earnings$10k typical debt
College of San Mateo61% graduate$54k earnings$15k typical debt
Laney College31% graduate$37k earnings
Skyline College44% graduate$56k earnings
Berkeley City College36% graduate$41k earnings
Academy of Art University34% graduate$39k earnings$31k typical debt
Merritt College26% graduate$44k earnings

Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid. *Reported for all the campuses that file together: Carrington College-San Leandro Campus (5).

Questions about college in Alameda

Is Alameda a college town?

No. About 6 of every 100 Alameda residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), below California (8). The largest campus in the city, College of Alameda, has 1,635 students on campus.

What colleges are in Alameda?

College of Alameda is inside the city. Laney College is 3.8 miles from the center, in Oakland.

What is the closest community college to Alameda, and what does it cost?

College of Alameda in Alameda, 2.9 miles away. Tuition and fees are $1,258 a year for California residents; the federal net price, $8,496, counts housing and food at full cost.

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Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023 enrollment). “On campus” is fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Distances are straight-line from the center of Alameda. Residents in college, age, rent and poverty (including poverty without college students, table B14006): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–24. Colleges are described, not graded; the College town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents are enrolled. How TownRatings describes colleges →