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Colleges in and near El Cerrito

The University of California-Berkeley is 4 miles from El Cerrito

No college sits inside El Cerrito’s boundary, but the University of California-Berkeley’s campus in Berkeley, with 43,954 students on campus, is 4 miles from the center of town, and Contra Costa College is 3.9 miles away in San Pablo. About 7% of El Cerrito’s residents are enrolled in college, about the same as California (8%).

Contra Costa CollegeUniversity of California-Berkeley

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 El Cerrito. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
32
105,590 students on campus
Nearest college
3.7 mi
Pacific School of Religion
Residents in college
7%
About the same as CA (8%)
Nearest community college
3.9 mi
Contra Costa College · $1,312 tuition
Nearest public university
4 mi
University of California-Berkeley · $16,347 in-state
Median household income
$128K
prices below start here

What stands out about college from El Cerrito

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

Two colleges within 4 milesUniversity of California-Berkeley admits 11% of applicants. Together they have 47,146 students on campus.A community college 3.9 miles awayContra Costa College in San Pablo: tuition and fees $1,312 a year for California residents.In-state price at University of California-BerkeleyLiving in California, the University of California-Berkeley charges $16,347 in tuition and fees; from out of state, $50,547. State residency rules decide which a new arrival pays.Students are 7% of residentsAbout the same as California (8%). The Census counts anyone enrolled, including part-time and online students.
Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of El Cerrito

21 private colleges within 14.7 miles, four public colleges within 13.7 miles, and seven community colleges.

5 mi10 mi15 miUniversity of California-BerkeleyDiablo Valley CollegeUniversity of San FranciscoEl Cerrito
University or collegeCommunity college
Pacific School of ReligionUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 128 on campus · 3.7 mi · BerkeleyGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Graduate Theological UnionUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 140 on campus · 3.8 mi · BerkeleyGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Contra Costa CollegeCommunity college · Public · 3,192 on campus · 3.9 mi · San Pablo$9knet price28%graduate$41kearningsTuition and fees: $1,312 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Berkeley City CollegeCommunity college · Public · 2,915 on campus · 3.9 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.University of California-BerkeleyUniversity or college · Public · 43,954 on campus · 4 mi · Berkeley11%admitted$13knet price93%graduate$92kearningsAcupuncture and Integrative Medicine College-BerkeleyUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 119 on campus · 4.4 mi · BerkeleyGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.The Wright InstituteUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 511 on campus · 4.5 mi · BerkeleyGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Samuel Merritt UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,516 on campus · 7.1 mi · Oakland$143kearningsAcademy of Chinese Culture and Health SciencesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 122 on campus · 8 mi · OaklandGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Lincoln UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 474 on campus · 8.1 mi · Oakland100%graduate$54kearningsLaney CollegeCommunity college · Public · 6,027 on campus · 8.7 mi · Oakland$17knet price31%graduate$37kearningsTuition and fees: $1,258 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.College of AlamedaCommunity college · Public · 1,635 on campus · 9.7 mi · 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.San Francisco Film SchoolUniversity or college · For-profit · 141 on campus · 10.3 mi · San Francisco$32knet price67%graduateGolden Gate UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 502 on campus · 10.4 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 · 10.6 mi · San Francisco · mostly online$41knet price34%graduate$39kearnings54% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.California State University Maritime AcademyUniversity or college · Public · 761 on campus · 11 mi · Vallejo95%admitted$21knet price60%graduate$95kearningsMinerva UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 603 on campus · 11.1 mi · San Francisco3%admittedUniversity of California College of the Law-San FranciscoUniversity or college · Public · 1,159 on campus · 11.4 mi · San FranciscoGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Merritt CollegeCommunity college · Public · 2,888 on campus · 11.6 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.Northeastern University OaklandUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 657 on campus · 11.6 mi · Oakland17%admitted$25knet price$93kearningsEarnings are reported for all 3 campuses that file with it.Touro University CaliforniaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 966 on campus · 11.7 mi · Vallejo$105kearningsEarnings are reported for all 2 campuses that file with it.Graduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.California College of the ArtsUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,332 on campus · 11.8 mi · San Francisco91%admitted$54knet price61%graduate$49kearningsCalifornia Institute of Integral StudiesUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 980 on campus · 11.8 mi · San Francisco · mostly online$49kearnings52% of its students study only online; price, graduation and earnings count them too.San Francisco Conservatory of MusicUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 403 on campus · 11.8 mi · San Francisco55%admitted$43knet price74%graduateSaint Mary's College of CaliforniaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 2,642 on campus · 11.9 mi · Moraga87%admitted$30knet price70%graduate$79kearningsDominican University of CaliforniaUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 1,699 on campus · 12.2 mi · San Rafael84%admitted$35knet price78%graduate$85kearningsUniversity of San FranciscoUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 8,633 on campus · 12.8 mi · San Francisco62%admitted$41knet price70%graduate$90kearningsDiablo Valley CollegeCommunity college · Public · 10,850 on campus · 12.9 mi · Pleasant Hill$8knet price49%graduate$51kearningsTuition and fees: $1,312 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Carrington College-Pleasant Hill CampusUniversity or college · For-profit · 432 on campus · 12.9 mi · Pleasant Hill$39knet price59%graduate$40kearningsEarnings are reported for all 5 campuses that file with it.College of MarinCommunity college · Public · 4,093 on campus · 13.6 mi · Kentfield$12knet price39%graduate$43kearningsTuition and fees: $1,558 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.University of California-San FranciscoUniversity or college · Public · 3,113 on campus · 13.7 mi · San FranciscoGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.Presidio Graduate SchoolUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 103 on campus · 14.7 mi · San AnselmoGraduate students only; the Scorecard reports no undergraduate figures.

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 El Cerrito’s median household income ($127,876) falls.

Diablo Valley College12.9 mi · Pleasant Hill · sticker $16,774 · tuition $1,312$6,953a year
Contra Costa College3.9 mi · San Pablo · sticker $18,422 · tuition $1,312$9,567a year
College of Marin13.6 mi · Kentfield · sticker $21,015 · tuition $1,558$17,686a year
Merritt College11.6 mi · Oakland · mostly online · sticker $21,424 · tuition $1,258$20,036a year
California State University Maritime Academy11 mi · Vallejo · sticker $29,853$24,911a year
University of California-Berkeley4 mi · Berkeley · sticker $45,619$34,529a year
Northeastern University Oakland11.6 mi · Oakland · sticker $85,418$38,398a year
Saint Mary's College of California11.9 mi · Moraga · sticker $77,659$40,581a year
Dominican University of California12.2 mi · San Rafael · sticker $71,751$43,317a year
Carrington College-Pleasant Hill Campus12.9 mi · Pleasant Hill · sticker $44,064$44,064a year
Academy of Art University10.6 mi · San Francisco · mostly online · sticker $48,036$44,082a year
San Francisco Conservatory of Music11.8 mi · San Francisco · sticker $78,781$45,245a year
University of San Francisco12.8 mi · San Francisco · sticker $80,141$52,497a year
California College of the Arts11.8 mi · San Francisco · sticker $79,776$56,394a year
Berkeley City College3.9 mi · Berkeley · mostly online · sticker $18,845 · tuition $1,258—a year
Laney College8.7 mi · Oakland · sticker $25,335 · tuition $1,258—a year
College of Alameda9.7 mi · Alameda · mostly online · sticker $18,185 · tuition $1,258—a year
San Francisco Film School10.3 mi · San Francisco · sticker $37,597—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 El Cerrito: 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 →Contra Costa CollegeUniversity of California-BerkeleyLaney CollegeUniversity of San FranciscoDiablo Valley CollegeCollege of Marin
University of California-Berkeley93% graduate$92k earnings$13k typical debt
Diablo Valley College49% graduate$51k earnings$10k typical debt
University of San Francisco70% graduate$90k earnings$23k typical debt
Laney College31% graduate$37k earnings
College of Marin39% graduate$43k earnings$10k typical debt
Contra Costa College28% graduate$41k earnings
Berkeley City College36% graduate$41k earnings
Academy of Art University34% graduate$39k earnings$31k typical debt
Merritt College26% graduate$44k earnings
Saint Mary's College of California70% graduate$79k earnings$24k typical debt
Dominican University of California78% graduate$85k earnings$27k typical debt
College of Alameda33% graduate$43k 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-Pleasant Hill Campus (5).

Questions about college near El Cerrito

Is El Cerrito a college town?

No. About 7 of every 100 El Cerrito residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), about the same as California (8). The nearest campus, Pacific School of Religion, is 3.7 miles away in Berkeley.

What colleges are near El Cerrito?

32 colleges are within 15 miles. The largest: the University of California-Berkeley (4 miles, 43,954 students on campus), Diablo Valley College (12.9 miles, 10,850) and the University of San Francisco (12.8 miles, 8,633).

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

Contra Costa College in San Pablo, 3.9 miles away. Tuition and fees are $1,312 a year for California residents; the federal net price, $9,490, counts housing and food at full cost.

How much does the University of California-Berkeley cost if we live in California?

Tuition and fees are $16,347 a year in-state and $50,547 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $5,311 (under $30,000 income) to $34,529 (over $110,000), housing and food included.

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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 El Cerrito. 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 →