San Jose is home to seven colleges, with about 45,000 students on campus
San Jose State University (30,704 students on campus) and Evergreen Valley College (5,332) are inside the city. About 8% of San Jose’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 San Jose. Colleges are described, not graded.
Within 15 miles
13
73,375 students on campus
Nearest college
2.7 mi
Evergreen Valley College
Residents in college
8%
About the same as CA (8%)
Nearest community college
2.7 mi
Evergreen Valley College · $1,366 tuition
Nearest public university
4.6 mi
San Jose State · $8,410 in-state
Median household income
$146K
prices below start here
What stands out about college in San Jose
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 San Jose’s median household income ($146,427) 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 San Jose: 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
De Anza College68% graduate$57k earnings$6k typical debt
Santa Clara University88% graduate$109k earnings$19k typical debt
Evergreen Valley College41% graduate$53k earnings$13k typical debt
San Jose City College34% graduate$46k earnings
West Valley College51% graduate$52k earnings
Mission College39% graduate$51k earnings
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts64% graduate$67k earnings$17k typical debt
Institute for Business and Technology84% graduate$38k earnings*$8k typical debt
University of Silicon Valley29% graduate$51k earnings$31k 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-San Jose (5); Institute for Business and Technology (3).
Majors
What students study in San Jose
Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field across San Jose’s 7 colleges, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.
Business 19%Health professions 14%Liberal arts 9%Engineering 8%Psychology 6%Visual & performing arts 5%Everything else 40%
Biggest programs
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesSan Jose City College · 189 graduates a year
$56k4 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and OperationsEvergreen Valley College · 129 graduates a year
$68k4 yrs out
Psychology, GeneralEvergreen Valley College · 105 graduates a year
$45k4 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingEvergreen Valley College · 65 graduates a year
$141k4 yrs out
Biological and Physical SciencesSan Jose City College · 65 graduates a year
$41k4 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and OperationsSan Jose City College · 61 graduates a year
$76k4 yrs out
Graphic CommunicationsUniversity of Silicon Valley · 26 graduates a year
$50k4 yrs out
Communication and Media StudiesEvergreen Valley College · 25 graduates a year
$64k4 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 San Jose
Is San Jose a college town?
No. About 8 of every 100 San Jose residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), about the same as California (8). The largest campus in the city, San Jose State University, has 30,704 students on campus.
What colleges are in San Jose?
San Jose State University, Evergreen Valley College, San Jose City College, Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts and 3 more are inside the city.
What is the closest community college to San Jose, and what does it cost?
Evergreen Valley College in San Jose, 2.7 miles away. Tuition and fees are $1,366 a year for California residents; the federal net price, $12,414, counts housing and food at full cost.
How much does San Jose State University cost if we live in California?
Tuition and fees are $8,410 a year in-state and $21,010 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $9,730 (under $30,000 income) to $22,862 (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 Jose. 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: Payton Chung · CC BY 2.0