Photo: Dirk Hansen · CC BY-SA 3.0San Diego is home to 21 colleges, with about 128,000 students on campus
The University of California-San Diego (42,066 students on campus) and San Diego State University (36,799) are inside the city. About 10% of San Diego’s residents are enrolled in college, above 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 San Diego. Colleges are described, not graded.
What stands out about college in San Diego
Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.
Colleges within 15 miles of San Diego
18 private colleges within 14.6 miles, two public colleges within 7.4 miles, and seven 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 $75–110k, where San Diego’s median household income ($108,077) 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 San Diego: 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: Pacific College of Health and Science (3); Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista (13).
What students study in San Diego
Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field across San Diego’s 15 colleges, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.
Biggest programs
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: National University, Pacific College of Health and Science, Alliant International University-San Diego, where most students study only online.
Questions about college in San Diego
Is San Diego a college town?
No. About 10 of every 100 San Diego residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), above California (8). The largest campus in the city, the University of California-San Diego, has 42,066 students on campus.
What colleges are in San Diego?
The University of California-San Diego, San Diego State University, San Diego Mesa College, San Diego Miramar College and 17 more are inside the city.
What is the closest community college to San Diego, and what does it cost?
San Diego Mesa College in San Diego, 3.3 miles away. Tuition and fees are $1,146 a year for California residents; the federal net price, $5,814, counts housing and food at full cost.
How much does San Diego Mesa College cost if we live in California?
Tuition and fees are $1,146 a year in-state and $10,002 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $3,842 (under $30,000 income) to $13,977 (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 San Diego. 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 →