Private Universities in San Francisco

Pricing and Service Guide

San Francisco is often noted for its vibrant Victorian architecture, unique geography, and progressive politics. However, many ignore the fact that the city is also home to some of the oldest and most distinguished private educational institutions in the country. Here are some of the most prominent examples, in order from highest to lowest undergraduate enrollment:
Private Schools
Academy of Art University
79 New Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-3410
(415) 274-2200
www.academyart.edu

How would you like to join the ranks of Heidi Montag and Lauren Conrad and attend the largest accredited art and design school in the country? The Academy of Art offers 15 individual majors, NCAA division II athletics, and courses taught by several of the arts industry’s most reputable magnates.

University of San Francisco
2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117-1080
(415) 422-5555
www.usfca.edu

The University of San Francisco is one of the oldest Jesuit-run institutions in the U.S., and its idyllic, 55-acre campus located between the Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park is fitting for prospective students who don’t necessarily want to immerse themselves in the hustle and bustle of downtown. The USF offers the most comprehensive range of academic major programs of any private school in San Francisco and is nationally ranked among the best universities in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

Art Institute of California: San Francisco
1170 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 865-0198
www.artinstitutes.edu/sanfrancisco

The San Francisco division of the Art Institute of California is owned and operated by the Education Management Corporation, the country’s largest private owner of post-secondary institutions. Located in the heart of downtown, the Art Institute is a national leader in the newfound vocation of video game design. They are also known for an excellent rate of post-graduate employment, with over 90% of students employed within six months of graduation.

California College of the Arts
1111 Eighth Street
San Francisco, CA 94107-2247
(415) 703-9500
www.cca.edu

This arts school operates two campuses – one in Oakland and one in San Francisco. Its membership in the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design offers the surety of a quality education to its prospective students. It was once home to several famous painters and concept artists (including Dennis Oppenheim and Jules de Balincourt) and was recently featured in a Business Week article titled “Best Design Schools in the World.”

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising: San Francisco
55 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94108-5829
(415) 675-5200
www.fidm.edu

This school specializes in education relating to the designing and marketing of fashion-related products. It offers one-year and two-year associates degrees in fashion vocations as well as a four-year Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. It has also hosted several faculty/alumni associated with the Project Runway reality television series.

Heald College: San Francisco
350 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 808-3000
www.heald.edu

This multi-campus business-career college offers two-year Associate’s degrees in 34 fields. Though it operates campuses in Honolulu, Portland, and several other cities, the campus was founded in San Francisco and still has close ties to the city. In fact, the city’s former mayor, George Christopher, is an alumnus of Heald. In spite of its previous focus on campus education, a recent buyout by a third-party private corporation has incited a transition from class education to online education. Soon, all courses offered at Heald College will be online-only.

• California Culinary Academy
  625 Polk Street
  San Francisco, CA 94102
  (415) 771-3500
  www.caculinary.edu

  Specialization(s)	Enrollment	Tuition (annual)	Admission Rate	Retention Rate
  Culinary Arts	775	$37,285	Open Admission	N/A

  
  This Culinary Arts school is a subsidiary of the world-famous Le Cordon Bleu in France. It runs a 30-week intensive baking and pastry chef program and a 16-month culinary arts degree program. They have also adjusted their curriculum to accommodate the trans-fat free restrictions that will soon become an inextricable aspect of U.S. restaurant culture.  

  Golden Gate University
  536 Mission Street
  San Francisco, CA 94105
  (415) 442-7000
  www.ggu.edu

  Specialization(s)	Enrollment	Tuition (annual)	Admission Rate	Retention Rate
  Business/Marketing; Computer/Information Sciences	404	$17,100	88%	67%

  
  While it’s primarily a post-graduate institution, the Golden Gate University also caters to a small group of undergraduates. It is located in San Francisco’s Financial District and offers the dual option of educational learning sites and an online course option known as “CyberCampus.” The graduate program boasts more than 60,000 living alumni, including businessmen, government officials, and prominent members of the U.S. Military.  

  San Francisco Art Institute
  800 Chestnut Street
  San Francisco, CA 94133
  (415) 771-7020
  www.sfai.edu

  Specialization(s)	Enrollment	Tuition (annual)	Admission Rate	Retention Rate
  Visual/Performing Arts	313	$32,894	94%	48%

  
  The San Francisco Art Institute maintains an educational focus on contemporary art, and shares membership in the AICAD with the California College of the Arts. It encourages a freedom of expression and an exploration of developing art forms that differentiates it from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, which primarily focuses on classical performances. The school offers Bachelor of Arts and Fine Arts as well as Master of Arts and Fine Arts degrees.

  San Francisco Conservatory of Music
  50 Oak Street
  San Francisco, CA 94102
  (415) 864-7326
  www.sfcm.edu

  Specialization(s)	Enrollment	Tuition (annual)	Admission Rate	Retention Rate
  Performing Arts	207	$35,430	57%	78%

  This exclusive conservatory has educated some of the best and brightest in classical music. Its modest size ensures that class sizes will never be large enough to inhibit valuable one-on-one instructive experience. This school’s insistence on acoustically perfect practice spaces and frequent public performances has earned its designation as one of the most elite music conservatories in the United States.