De Anza College (10,013 students on campus) is inside the city, and West Valley College (4,444) is 4.3 miles from the center, just over the line in Saratoga. About 7% of Cupertino’s residents are enrolled in college, below California (8%).
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 Cupertino. Colleges are described, not graded.
Within 15 miles
18
105,485 students on campus
Nearest college
0.1 mi
De Anza College
Residents in college
7%
Below CA (8%)
Nearest community college
0.1 mi
De Anza College · $1,571 tuition
Nearest public university
5.4 mi
Foothill College · $1,565 in-state
Median household income
$235K
prices below start here
What stands out about college in Cupertino
Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.
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 Cupertino’s median household income ($234,707) falls.
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 Cupertino: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.
San Jose State University69% graduate$79k earnings$15k typical debt
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: Institute for Business and Technology (3).
Majors
What students study in Cupertino
Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field at De Anza College, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.
Business 18%Liberal arts 14%Social sciences 9%Interdisciplinary 8%Mechanics & repair 7%Computer science 7%Everything else 36%
Biggest programs
Business Administration, Management and Operations362 graduates a year
$75k4 yrs out
Biological and Physical Sciences223 graduates a year
$71k4 yrs out
Social Sciences, General136 graduates a year
$51k4 yrs out
Communication and Media Studies61 graduates a year
$54k4 yrs out
Criminal Justice and Corrections47 graduates a year
$57k4 yrs out
College Scorecard: degree shares (PCIP; each college’s six largest fields are kept, the rest count as everything else) and the field-of-study file, median earnings 4 years after graduating.
Questions about college in Cupertino
Is Cupertino a college town?
No. About 7 of every 100 Cupertino residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), below California (8). The largest campus in the city, De Anza College, has 10,013 students on campus.
What colleges are in Cupertino?
De Anza College is inside the city. West Valley College is 4.3 miles from the center, in Saratoga.
What is the closest community college to Cupertino, and what does it cost?
De Anza College in Cupertino, 0.1 miles away. Tuition and fees are $1,571 a year for California residents; the federal net price, $6,642, counts housing and food at full cost.
How much does Foothill College cost if we live in California?
Tuition and fees are $1,565 a year in-state and $12,590 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $6,571 (under $30,000 income) to $14,237 (over $110,000), housing and food included.
Neighbors talk college
Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.
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 Cupertino. 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 →
Photo: Coolcaesar at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0