Best colleges in Sacramento

The Golden Capital

Sactown can help you get your diploma in the bag

Picture ocean breezes and sunsets on the horizon. Then wake up, because Sacramento isn't on the coast. Compared to its neighboring cities, one would think there's nothing to do in River City. But this part of Northern California is home to several accredited higher education institutions and one of the strongest community college systems in the state. The city's 28 higher educational institutions include 10 community colleges and one true public 4-year university with more than 60 programs. With the number of degrees constantly rising, it's no surprise that nearly 40% of the Sacramento region has an associate's degree or higher. and though the career focus is primarily dominated by Government jobs, education, and health services, there are other career options available in advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, information technology and agriculture.

Click Here to See the Best Colleges in the US*Bureau of Labor Statistics *National Center for Education Statistics *Forbes, Sacramento *www.portal.cityofsacramento.org *www.sacto.org

Best Four Year Universities in Sacramento

The University of California Davis is a public, land-grant university that was founded in 1959 after 50 years of operating solely as the main agricultural school in the UC system. UC Davis has a total undergraduate enrollment of about 35,000 and is located just west of Sacramento in the suburban town of Davis. The surrounding San Joaquin Valley is the agricultural epicenter of the United States, making Davis a prime location for studying farming techniques, crop genetics, and related fields. UC Davis has a student-to-faculty ratio of 20:1 and a graduation rate of 84.6%.

UC Davis consists of a Campus Core situated on the university quad, South Campus that’s home to the Mondavi Center and Arboretum Way, and West Campus that is reserved primarily for agricultural research and development. The school offers over 80 graduate programs through internationally-renowned departments such as the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and the UC Davis School of Medicine. California residents should note that in-state students pay about half what out-of-state students pay for tuition and fees. 

UC Davis is known as a Public Ivy due to the extensive research programs that operate on-campus and at local facilities including the California Raptor Center, Crocker Nuclear Laboratory, and Bodega Marine Reserve. UC Davis student government (ASUCD) is highly active and works to support student interests through the funding of programs like Picnic Day, KDVS Student Radio, and The Entertainment Council, which works to host live musicians and traveling acts annually. Notable alumni include chef and television personality Martin Yan, comedian Hasan Minhaj, and wrestler John Morrison.

William Jessup University offers 61 degree programs. It's a small, private not-for-profit, four-year university in a outlying rural area. In 2022, 437 students graduated with students earning 276 Bachelor's degrees, 156 Master's degrees, 3 Certificates, and 2 Associate's degrees.

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California State University-Sacramento offers 122 degree programs. It's a very large, public, four-year university in a large city. In 2022, 8,131 students graduated with students earning 7,352 Bachelor's degrees, 734 Master's degrees, and 45 Doctoral degrees.

Best Community Colleges in Sacramento

MTI College
Sacramento, CA

MTI College offers 33 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 555 students graduated with students earning 526 Certificates, and 29 Associate's degrees.

Asher College
Sacramento, CA

Asher College offers 16 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 308 students graduated with students earning 209 Associate's degrees, and 99 Certificates.

Universal Technical Institute of Northern California Inc offers 4 degree programs. It's a small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large city. In 2022, 583 students graduated with students earning 406 Associate's degrees, and 177 Certificates.

Cosumnes River College
Sacramento, CA

Cosumnes River College offers 133 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a large city. In 2022, 1,233 students graduated with students earning 1,142 Associate's degrees, and 91 Certificates.

Folsom Lake College
Folsom, CA

Folsom Lake College offers 78 degree programs. It's a medium sized, public, two-year college in a small city. In 2022, 1,404 students graduated with students earning 874 Associate's degrees, and 530 Certificates.

Woodland Community College offers 54 degree programs. It's a small, public, two-year college in a small suburb. In 2022, 964 students graduated with students earning 491 Certificates, and 473 Associate's degrees.

Sacramento City College
Sacramento, CA

Sacramento City College offers 160 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a large city. In 2022, 1,573 students graduated with students earning 1,380 Associate's degrees, and 193 Certificates.

Sierra College
Rocklin, CA

Sierra College offers 141 degree programs. It's a large, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 2,573 students graduated with students earning 2,478 Associate's degrees, and 95 Certificates.

American River College
Sacramento, CA

American River College offers 198 degree programs. It's a very large, public, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 3,069 students graduated with students earning 2,065 Associate's degrees, and 1,004 Certificates.

Carrington College-Citrus Heights offers 4 degree programs. It's a very small, private for-profit, two-year college in a large suburb. In 2022, 126 students graduated with students earning 108 Certificates, and 18 Associate's degrees.

List of all colleges in Sacramento

School Average Tuition Student Teacher Ratio Enrolled Students
University of California-Davis Logo University of California-Davis Davis, CA
3/5
23 : 1 39,679
William Jessup University Logo William Jessup University Rocklin, CA
5/5
36 : 1 1,624
California State University-Sacramento Logo California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA
2/5
40 : 1 31,818
MTI College Logo MTI College Sacramento, CA   53 : 1 952
Asher College Logo Asher College Sacramento, CA   47 : 1 802