San Francisco is not all about foggy mornings, cable cars, and stunning Golden Gate vistas—it's also where you can find some of America's most elite colleges. With all these universities, it could be very confusing to select the best one. Don't worry, we are here to assist you!

This blog will guide you through the best colleges in San Francisco for 2025 so that you can make a well-informed decision about your academic path.

University of San Francisco (USF)

Tucked away in the heart of San Francisco, the University of San Francisco feels like a hidden gem with a rich history. Founded in 1855 by Jesuits, it’s the city’s oldest university and blends that classic Catholic tradition with a progressive Bay Area vibe. Many students opt for student housing in San Francisco to stay close to campus and enjoy the vibrant city life

Location: 2130 Fulton Street, San Francisco, CA 94117

Most Popular Courses:

• Business Administration
• Computer Science
• Nursing
• Data Science
• Law

What Makes It Unique?

• USF is a Jesuit Catholic university founded in 1855, making it San Francisco’s first university.
• Its Lone Mountain campus offers panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and downtown San Francisco due to its hilltop location.
• The university’s Koret Health and Recreation Center houses the only indoor pool with a retractable roof in San Francisco.

Average Tuition Fees:

• Domestic Students: Around $54,980 per year.
• International Students: Similar to domestic fees, with additional living expenses estimated at $20,000 per year. 

San Francisco State University (SFSU)

San Francisco State University is the kind of place that’s unapologetically bold and diverse, sitting just a bit off the beaten path in the city’s southwest corner. Born in 1899, it’s got an activist spirit, student strikes and boundary-pushing programs. It’s a bustling public university that’s all about real-world impact and creative energy.

Location: 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132

Most Popular Courses:

• Cinema Studies
• Engineering
• Business & Marketing
• Journalism
• Environmental Science

What Makes It Unique?

• SFSU is home to the only College of Ethnic Studies in the United States, established in 1969 after a historic student-led strike.
• The campus features the J. Paul Leonard Library, which contains the Frank V. de Bellis Collection of rare Italian manuscripts and musical instruments.
• Its Creative Arts building includes the Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts (BECA) department, one of the few programs in the country offering hands-on TV and radio production training.

Average Tuition Fees:

• Domestic Students: Approximately $7,500 per year (in-state).
• International Students: Around $19,000 a year. 

Stanford University (Just Outside SF, But Worth the Mention!)

Stanford’s the heavyweight just down the road from San Francisco, sprawling across a massive chunk of land near Palo Alto. Since 1885, it’s been a powerhouse of innovation, practically birthing Silicon Valley with its tech-savvy grads. It's got that mix of laid-back California charm and intense academic prestige—think palm trees, red-tiled roofs, and world-changing ideas brewing everywhere.

Location: 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305 (near Palo Alto, about 35 miles south of San Francisco)

Most Popular Courses:

• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Business (Stanford GSB)
• Medicine
• Law

What Makes It Unique?

• Stanford’s campus spans 8,180 acres, making it one of the largest university campuses in the world, with its own zip code.
• The university’s Hoover Tower, standing at 285 feet, houses the Hoover Institution Library and Archives.
• Stanford co-founded the first computer science department in the U.S. in 1965 and played a key role in Silicon Valley’s development, with alumni founding companies like Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, and Google.

Average Tuition Fees:

• Domestic & International Students: Around $62,484 per annum. 

California College of the Arts (CCA)

California College of the Arts is where the Bay Area’s creative weirdos thrive. Started in 1907 by an Arts and Crafts pioneer, it’s split between San Francisco and Oakland, but the SF campus is the real heartbeat now. Housed in an old bus depot turned art haven, it’s small, scrappy, and all about turning out artists who actually make a living doing what they love.

Location: 1111 Eighth Street, San Francisco, CA 94107 (main campus; additional facilities in Oakland)

Most Popular Courses:

• Industrial Design
• Animation
• Illustration
• Graphic Design
• Architecture

What Makes It Unique?

• CCA’s San Francisco campus is housed in a renovated former Greyhound bus maintenance facility.
• It’s one of the few U.S. art schools offering a degree in Glass, with a dedicated glassblowing studio on campus.
• The college has a historic connection to the Arts and Crafts movement, founded in 1907 by Frederick Meyer, a key figure in that artistic tradition.

Average Tuition Fees:

• Domestic & International Students: Around $53,376 per year. 

Golden Gate University (GGU)

Golden Gate University is the downtown San Francisco spot for people who’ve already got a foot in the working world. Since 1901, it’s been laser-focused on practical stuff—law, business, taxes—catering to folks juggling jobs and night classes. It’s not flashy, but its campus and off-campus housing is near the financial district, making it a no-brainer for career climbers.

Location: 536 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

Most Popular Courses:

• Law
• Business Administration
• Data Analytics
• Accounting
• Human Resource Management

What Makes It Unique?

• GGU primarily serves working adults, with over 80% of its students enrolled part-time and a focus on professional degrees like law, business, and taxation.
• Its downtown location places it within blocks of major financial institutions, including the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
• The university’s School of Law operates the Women’s Employment Rights Clinic, one of the few legal aid programs in the U.S.

Average Tuition Fees:

• Domestic Students: Approximately $16,095 per semester.
• International Students: The same plus added visa-associated costs.

Conclusion

San Francisco is much more than just a city of culture and innovation, with one additional feature, adding an element of academic flair. Through a truly impressive combination of elite private universities, economical public universities, and schools of specialization: business, technology, or that vibrant art scene—the city has it all.

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About author

Bhavna.S is a storyteller at heart who loves weaving words into engaging narratives. When not writing, she can be found sipping chai while lost in a book, taking long walks to clear her mind, or planning her next travel adventure - only to end up binge-watching a documentary instead.

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