Colleges Near Santa Cruz

Colleges and universities near me in the Santa Cruz, California area

There 25 colleges within 50 miles enrolling a total of 228,649 students. These are the closest colleges.

Located in California with a population of 59,946, the closest colleges are ranked below by distance from Santa Cruz. Driving time to these schools from Santa Cruz should be less than 1 hours. The top rated college in the area is Stanford University in Stanford which is ranked #2 in the nation by CollegeSimply. The largest college in the area is San Jose State University enrolling 37,133 students. In terms of affordability, Cabrillo College in Aptos offers the lowest tuition for colleges in the area at $1,104 per year.

This directory is inclusive of nearby two and four year schools, both public and private. If you are looking for more affordable higher education options or not ready for a full four-year program, consider local community colleges near Santa Cruz.
Santa Cruz, CA within 50 miles Public Private For-Profit 4 year 2 year

25 results

University of California Santa Cruz
Connect Me
C
Santa Cruz, CA

University of California Santa Cruz

Public 4 Year

6 reviews

#8 Best Public Universities in California

  • 19,841enrollment
  • $17,842net price
  • 59%acceptance rate
  • 1160-1360SAT range
  • 25-33ACT range
  • 3.63Avg GPA

Applications Due Nov 30

2 miles from Santa Cruz

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Cabrillo College
C
Aptos, CA
 

Cabrillo College

Public 2 Year

1 reviews

 

  • 9,075enrollment
  • $16,103net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Apr 9

6 miles from Santa Cruz

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West Valley College
W
Saratoga, CA
 

West Valley College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 6,717enrollment
  • $6,541net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

20 miles from Santa Cruz

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De Anza College
D
Cupertino, CA

De Anza College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 16,706enrollment
  • $7,685net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

24 miles from Santa Cruz

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San Jose City College
S
San Jose, CA
 

San Jose City College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 7,326enrollment
  • $16,997net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

24 miles from Santa Cruz

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Gavilan College
G
Gilroy, CA
 

Gavilan College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 4,538enrollment
  • $7,027net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

26 miles from Santa Cruz

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Evergreen Valley College
E
San Jose, CA
 

Evergreen Valley College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 8,085enrollment
  • $13,807net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

27 miles from Santa Cruz

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Foothill College
F
Los Altos Hills, CA

Foothill College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 12,438enrollment
  • $8,752net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

27 miles from Santa Cruz

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San Jose State University
Connect Me
S
San Jose, CA

San Jose State University

Public 4 Year

3 reviews

#14 Best Public Universities in California

  • 37,133enrollment
  • $15,995net price
  • 84%acceptance rate
  • 1010-1240SAT range
  • 19-26ACT range
  • 3.35Estimated Avg GPA

Applications Due Dec 15

26 miles from Santa Cruz

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Santa Clara University
Connect Me
S
Santa Clara, CA

Santa Clara University

Private 4 Year

14 reviews

#7 Best Private Colleges in California

  • 8,918enrollment
  • $48,284net price
  • 54%acceptance rate
  • 1330-1490SAT range
  • 30-33ACT range
  • 3.67Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 7

27 miles from Santa Cruz

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California State University Monterey Bay
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C
Seaside, CA

California State University Monterey Bay

Public 4 Year

0 reviews

#22 Best Public Universities in California

  • 7,503enrollment
  • $13,989net price
  • 93%acceptance rate
  • 960-1160SAT range
  • 17-23ACT range
  • 3.45Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 15

26 miles from Santa Cruz

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Monterey Peninsula College
M
Monterey, CA

Monterey Peninsula College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 6,828enrollment
  • $13,223net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

Applications Due Aug 29

28 miles from Santa Cruz

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Cogswell College
C
Sunnyvale, CA
 

Cogswell College

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 434enrollment
  • $26,272net price
  • 51%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • 2.77Avg GPA

30 miles from Santa Cruz

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Hartnell College
H
Salinas, CA

Hartnell College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 9,808enrollment
  • $7,532net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

29 miles from Santa Cruz

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Mission College
M
Santa Clara, CA

Mission College

Public 2 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 5,910enrollment
  • $6,036net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

29 miles from Santa Cruz

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The National Hispanic University
N
San Jose, California
 

The National Hispanic University

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 615enrollment
  • $17,171net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

29 miles from Santa Cruz

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University of Phoenix Bay Area Campus
P
San Jose, California
 

University of Phoenix Bay Area Campus

Private 4 Year

0 reviews

 

  • 1,880enrollment
  • $19,295net price
  • 100%acceptance rate
  • -SAT range
  • -ACT range
  • NAAvg GPA

30 miles from Santa Cruz

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Stanford University
Connect Me
S
Stanford, CA

Stanford University

Private 4 Year

6 reviews

#2 Best Colleges in America

  • 17,680enrollment
  • $20,023net price
  • 4%acceptance rate
  • 1470-1570SAT range
  • 34-35ACT range
  • 3.96Avg GPA

Applications Due Jan 2

33 miles from Santa Cruz

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FAQ's

The closest community college is Cabrillo College and is 6 miles from Santa Cruz. Explore the complete list of nearby community college options.

Tuition and fees at Cabrillo College are $1,262 for local residents for one academic year. Explore full costs to attend.

Cabrillo College has an open admission policy. Open admission colleges typically have few admission thresholds and will admit all applicants so long as certain minimum requirements are met.