Sacramento is home to five colleges, with about 45,000 students on campus
California State University-Sacramento (29,083 students on campus) and Sacramento City College (8,001) are inside the city. About 8% of Sacramento’s residents are enrolled in college, about the same as 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 Sacramento. Colleges are described, not graded.
Within 15 miles
12
66,255 students on campus
Nearest college
2.2 mi
Sacramento City College
Residents in college
8%
About the same as CA (8%)
Nearest community college
2.2 mi
Sacramento City College · $1,288 tuition
Nearest public university
2.5 mi
California State University-Sacramento · $8,018 in-state
Median household income
$87K
prices below start here
What stands out about college in Sacramento
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 $75–110k, where Sacramento’s median household income ($87,321) 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 Sacramento: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.
California State University-Sacramento56% graduate$65k earnings$15k typical debt
American River College37% graduate$40k earnings$10k typical debt
Sacramento City College33% graduate$42k earnings$10k typical debt
Cosumnes River College40% graduate$42k earnings$11k typical debt
Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc64% graduate$48k earnings*$13k typical debt
San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Cordova76% graduate$38k earnings*$11k 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: Carrington College-Sacramento (5); Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc (3); San Joaquin Valley College-Rancho Cordova (14).
Majors
What students study in Sacramento
Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field across Sacramento’s 3 colleges, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCalifornia State University-Sacramento · 1,005 graduates a year
$68k4 yrs out
Psychology, GeneralCalifornia State University-Sacramento · 636 graduates a year
$53k4 yrs out
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsCalifornia State University-Sacramento · 539 graduates a year
$63k4 yrs out
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, GeneralCalifornia State University-Sacramento · 416 graduates a year
$67k4 yrs out
Communication and Media StudiesCalifornia State University-Sacramento · 400 graduates a year
$59k4 yrs out
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessCalifornia State University-Sacramento · 318 graduates a year
$59k4 yrs out
Biology, GeneralCalifornia State University-Sacramento · 307 graduates a year
$62k4 yrs out
SociologyCalifornia State University-Sacramento · 301 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. Left out: Sacramento City College, Cosumnes River College, where most students study only online.
Questions about college in Sacramento
Is Sacramento a college town?
No. About 8 of every 100 Sacramento residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), about the same as California (8). The largest campus in the city, California State University-Sacramento, has 29,083 students on campus.
What colleges are in Sacramento?
California State University-Sacramento, Sacramento City College, Cosumnes River College, Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc and 1 more are inside the city.
What is the closest community college to Sacramento, and what does it cost?
Sacramento City College in Sacramento, 2.2 miles away. Tuition and fees are $1,288 a year for California residents; the federal net price, $6,614, counts housing and food at full cost.
How much does California State University-Sacramento cost if we live in California?
Tuition and fees are $8,018 a year in-state and $20,618 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $6,501 (under $30,000 income) to $18,861 (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 Sacramento. 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: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0