Photo: Pi.1415926535 · CC BY-SA 3.0College of San Mateo is 5 miles from Foster City
No college sits inside Foster City’s boundary, but College of San Mateo’s campus in San Mateo, with 6,728 students on campus, is 5 miles from the center of town. About 4% of Foster City’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 Foster City. Colleges are described, not graded.
What stands out about college from Foster City
Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.
Colleges within 15 miles of Foster City
Eight private colleges within 13.1 miles, one public college within 12.5 miles, and five community colleges.
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 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.
Starts at Over $110k, where Foster City’s median household income ($199,143) 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.
Do students finish, and does it pay?
Each dot is a college within 15 miles of Foster City: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.
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 near Foster City
Is Foster City a college town?
No. About 4 of every 100 Foster City residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), below California (8). The nearest campus, Notre Dame de Namur University, is 3.8 miles away in Belmont.
What colleges are near Foster City?
14 colleges are within 15 miles. The largest: Stanford University (10.4 miles, 18,233 students on campus), California State University-East Bay (12.5 miles, 8,951) and Chabot College (9.6 miles, 7,625).
What is the closest community college to Foster City, and what does it cost?
College of San Mateo in San Mateo, 5 miles away. Tuition and fees are $1,332 a year for California residents; the federal net price, $536, counts housing and food at full cost.
How much does California State University-East Bay cost if we live in California?
Tuition and fees are $7,583 a year in-state and $20,183 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $6,360 (under $30,000 income) to $19,397 (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 Foster City. 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 →