| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public community college (San Francisco Community College District, California Community Colleges); classes on campus and online (online for students in California only) |
| Locations | Ocean Campus plus the John Adams, Evans, Mission and Chinatown/North Beach centers, all in San Francisco. The Downtown Center closed in summer 2026 |
| Credentials | Associate degrees (AS, AA, AS-T, AA-T), Certificates of Achievement, shorter Certificates of Accomplishment and free noncredit certificates; the college says it offers over 300 |
| Typical length | One course (EMT) to four full-time semesters (cardiac sonography; registered nursing, after about 30 prerequisite units) |
| Enrollment | 26,663 students in fall 2025 (term headcount, credit and noncredit) |
| Accreditation | ACCJC; full reaffirmation June 2025, next comprehensive review Spring 2030 |
| Federal aid | Yes (OPEID 00450200) |
| Fall 2026 fees | $46 per unit for California residents; $455 per unit for out-of-state and international students; Free City covers enrollment fees for students who are California and San Francisco residents |
| Founded | Established by the San Francisco Board of Education in 1934; opened in 1935 as San Francisco Junior College |
| Facts checked | 8 October 2026 |
San Francisco’s public college, from nursing to motorcycles
City College of San Francisco is the city’s public community college. It opened in 1935 as San Francisco Junior College and took its current name in 1948. Alongside transfer courses it teaches career certificates and associate degrees, and its health programs include registered and vocational nursing, radiologic technology, cardiac sonography, paramedic, pharmacy technician and dental assisting, most of them at the John Adams Center. Trades such as automotive, motorcycle and construction are taught at the Evans Center. California residents pay the statewide $46 per unit, and the city’s Free City program covers that fee for San Francisco residents. In 2026 the college closed its Downtown Center because of low enrollment. CCSF was placed under a show-cause order by its accreditor in 2012; in June 2025 the ACCJC granted full reaffirmation with no sanction.
Career programs at the Ocean Campus and centers
CCSF awards associate degrees, state-approved Certificates of Achievement (usually 16 units or more), shorter Certificates of Accomplishment and free noncredit certificates. The table lists the main career programs from the college’s program pages and 2025-26 catalog front matter (checked October 2026); a dash means the source gave no figure. Most program pages don’t name the building where classes meet, so for Ocean Campus programs the site shown is where the department is based.
| Program | Credential | Length and entry | Where | Accreditation or approval | Prepares for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | AS (ADN) | Four semesters (43 units) after about 30 prerequisite units; apply once a year | John Adams | California BRN | NCLEX-RN |
| Vocational Nursing | Certificate of Achievement | Three semesters, about 18 months; separate admission | John Adams | BVNPT | NCLEX-PN |
| Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide | Certificate | Short-term | John Adams | CDPH | California nurse assistant exam |
| Radiologic Technology | Associate degree | – | John Adams | JRCERT; CDPH Radiologic Health Branch | ARRT; California CRT |
| Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography | AS; certificate | 68 units, four semesters; about 20 seats every two years; next start Fall 2028 | John Adams | None listed in the catalog | ARDMS, CCI |
| ECG Technician | Certificate of Accomplishment (8 units); AS (48.5 units) | Two courses for the certificate | John Adams | None listed | – |
| Phlebotomy | Certificate | Short-term | John Adams | CDPH Laboratory Field Services | California CPT-1 |
| Medical Clinical Assisting | Certificate | Varies | John Adams | CAAHEP (MAERB) | – |
| Pharmacy Technician | Certificate of Achievement (34 units); AS option | Two semesters; fall entry; 240 clinical hours | John Adams | ASHP/ACPE | California Board of Pharmacy licence |
| Health Information Technology | AS; certificates | – | John Adams | CAHIIM | – |
| EMT | EMT 100, Certificate of Accomplishment | One course; day or evening | John Adams | California EMSA and local EMS agency | NREMT EMT |
| Paramedic | Certificate program | 12–15 months plus a 4–6-month field internship; needs EMT certification | John Adams | CAAHEP (through 2029) | NREMT paramedic; California licence |
| Dental Assisting | AS; Certificate of Achievement (33.5 program units) | 10 months full-time or two years part-time; separate admission | Ocean | CODA; Dental Board of California | RDA |
| Automotive Technology | AS; Certificates of Achievement | – | Evans | None stated | – |
| Motorcycle Technician | AS (34 technical units); Certificate of Accomplishment (18 units) | – | Evans | – | – |
| Construction; CityBuild Academy | AS, certificates, noncredit courses; pre-apprenticeship | – | Evans (Construction Management at Mission) | – | – |
| Culinary Arts | AS (about 75 units); Certificate of Achievement (32 units); free noncredit certificates | – | Ocean | American Culinary Federation | – |
| Personal Training | Certificate of Achievement (21 units) | At least three semesters | Ocean | – | NASM, ACE, NSCA-CPT |
| Real Estate | AS; Certificate of Achievement (24 units) | – | Ocean and online | – | Licence-exam courses |
| Computer Networking and IT (CNIT) | AS; certificates | – | Mission, Ocean | – | – |
| Computer Science: programming, web development, Linux and database administration, data analytics | AS degrees; Certificates of Achievement (Data Analytics about 20 units) | – | Ocean | – | – |
| Mechanical Engineering Technology, HVAC and plumbing design, CAD | AS (34.5–40 units); HVAC&R certificate (9.5 units); Engineered Plumbing Systems certificate (11.5 units) | – | Ocean | – | Design work, not service technician jobs |
| Manufacturing, machining, welding | Certificates of Accomplishment of 5 to 10 units | – | Ocean | – | – |
| Child Development and Family Studies | AS-T; certificates | – | Mission, John Adams, Chinatown/North Beach | – | – |
Every health program in the table except Dental Assisting is taught at the John Adams Center. The Aircraft Maintenance Technology program is suspended. Many program pages say courses are offered fully or partially online, but online study is open only to students physically in California.
What the main programs cover
Registered nursing
The Registered Nursing AS is a two-stage route. Students first finish about 30 units of prerequisites, then apply in the program’s once-a-year window. Those admitted take four semesters of nursing courses, 43 units in all, combining theory at the John Adams Center with clinical rotations that the program places them in. The degree is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing and leads to the NCLEX-RN. Graduates who want a bachelor’s degree can follow the ADN-to-BSN track the program page describes, about 2.5 years of full-time study.
Vocational nursing
Vocational nursing takes three semesters, roughly 18 months, and students should expect about 30 hours a week of classes and clinical work during that time. Admission is through a separate application rather than open enrollment. The program is approved by the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, and graduates sit the NCLEX-PN for a California LVN licence. The program page states 40.5 units in one place and semester tables that add up to 51.5, so ask the department which figure is current.
Paramedic and EMT
EMS training at CCSF comes in two steps, both at the John Adams Center, which has dedicated EMS classrooms and labs. EMT 100 is a single course with day and evening sections. Once students hold California EMT certification and have passed BIO 106, they can apply to the paramedic program: 11 courses over 12 to 15 months of classroom, lab and clinical training, with classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays, followed by a field internship of four to six months.
Pharmacy technician
The Entry-Level Pharmacy Technician certificate fits into two semesters, about nine months, and starts only in the fall, so missing the start means waiting a year. The program includes PHTC 104B, 240 hours of clinical training in an off-site retail or hospital pharmacy, and the program arranges the placement rather than leaving students to find one. Graduates apply to the California Board of Pharmacy for a technician licence. Students who want a degree can take the Pharmacy Technician AS option instead of stopping at the certificate.
Diagnostic cardiac sonography
Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography trains cardiac sonographers only; it is not a general ultrasound program. The AS takes four full-time semesters and 68 units. Seats are scarce: about 20 students are admitted every two years by a multi-criteria lottery, and applicants need a 2.5 GPA, anatomy and physiology taken within the past seven years, a background check and a drug screen. The Fall 2026 cycle is closed, so the next application window is January to February 2028, for classes starting in Fall 2028.
Fees for 2026 and Free City
California community colleges charge one enrollment fee to every California resident, so CCSF has no separate in-district rate; the local benefit is Free City. The college’s fee page shows these rates for Summer and Fall 2026:
| Fee (Summer and Fall 2026) | Amount |
|---|---|
| California resident enrollment fee | $46 per semester unit (statewide rate) |
| Out-of-state and international students | $409 tuition + $46 enrollment fee = $455 per unit |
| Health fee | $28 per fall or spring term from Fall 2026; $23 in summer |
| Student activity and representation fees | $7 and $2 per fall or spring term (both can be declined) |
| Free City | Covers enrollment fees for students who are both California residents and San Francisco residents |
A full-time fall semester of 15 units therefore costs a California resident about $727 in fees ($690 enrollment, $28 health, $7 activity and $2 representation), and an out-of-state or international student about $6,862 (our arithmetic from the published rates). With Free City, a San Francisco resident would pay about $37 if it covers only the enrollment fee; the fee page does not say whether it also covers the health, activity and representation fees. Books, uniforms, background checks and licensing exam fees are extra.
CCSF takes federal financial aid (OPEID 00450200). Eligible nonresident students can be exempted from nonresident tuition under California’s AB 540 and AB 2000.
Admissions, starts and schedules
CCSF is open admission with no entrance exams. Several health programs then have their own applications:
- Registered Nursing: one application window a year, after prerequisites.
- Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography: about 20 seats every two years by lottery; next window January–February 2028 for Fall 2028.
- Pharmacy Technician: fall entry only.
- Vocational Nursing and Dental Assisting: separate admission processes; Dental Assisting waives prerequisites for applicants with a bachelor’s degree.
- Paramedic: California EMT certification and BIO 106 required.
EMT runs day and evening sections, paramedic classes meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and vocational nursing takes about 30 hours a week. Dental Assisting can be taken full-time in about 10 months or part-time over two years. Online classes through CityOnline are for students in California only.
Accreditation and results
CCSF is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). In June 2025 the commission granted full reaffirmation with no sanction, finding that the college now meets the financial and board-governance standards where it had earlier been out of compliance, and set the next comprehensive review for Spring 2030.
Program accreditors and approvals include the California Board of Registered Nursing (RN), the BVNPT (vocational nursing), JRCERT (radiologic technology), CAAHEP (paramedic, through 2029, and medical clinical assisting), CODA (dental assisting), ASHP/ACPE (pharmacy technician), CAHIIM (health information technology), the American Culinary Federation (culinary arts) and the State Fire Marshal’s Office of State Fire Training (fire science). The catalog lists no programmatic accreditor for cardiac sonography.
| Measure | Result | Cohort and source |
|---|---|---|
| NCLEX-RN, first-time | 92.21% (77 testers) | 2024-25; California Board of Registered Nursing |
| NCLEX-PN (vocational nursing) | 94% (18 testers) | 2025; Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians |
| Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography | 93% retention, 87% job placement, 100% credential success | 2024; program page |
| Paramedic (NREMT) | 90% | College-reported, no year given |
| EMT (NREMT) | 81% | College-reported, no year given |
| Dental Assisting (RDA) | 100% | College-reported, no year given |
| Radiologic Technology (CRT) | 100% | College-reported, no year given |
| Graduation within 150% of normal time | 40% | Full-time, first-time students who started in fall 2021; IPEDS |
| Retention to second year | 70% full-time, 41% part-time | Fall 2023 to fall 2024; IPEDS |
The IPEDS graduation rate counts only full-time, first-time students and treats students who transfer before finishing separately (8% of the fall 2021 group transferred out); retention is reported separately for full-time and part-time students. The college’s term headcount, which counts credit and noncredit students, was 26,663 in fall 2025.
Before you enroll
- Online classes are open only to students physically in California. CCSF says it is not seeking authorization to teach students in other states, so out-of-state applicants need to attend in person.
- Several health programs are selective even though the college is open admission. Cardiac sonography takes about 20 students every two years and its next class starts in Fall 2028, nursing takes applications once a year and pharmacy technician starts only in the fall.
- The HVAC and manufacturing awards are short. The HVAC&R certificate is 9.5 units inside a design-focused engineering technology program, not service technician training, and the machining, welding and fabrication certificates are 5 to 10 units each.
- The college has shrunk. The Downtown Center closed in summer 2026 for low enrollment, taking the Educated Palate student restaurant with it, credit baking is on hiatus and the Aircraft Maintenance Technology program is suspended. Ask whether the classes you need are scheduled every term.
- Free City depends on city funding, which was cut from $18.9 million in 2023-24 to $9.3 million in 2024-25 and held at that level for 2025-26. The fee page says it covers enrollment fees, but not whether it covers the health and activity fees.
Career help and placements
The Student Success Center on the Ocean Campus, opened in August 2025, houses more than 30 services, including the career center and the transfer center. At the Evans Center, CityBuild Academy combines construction pre-apprenticeship training with job placement and is run with the San Francisco Mayor’s Office. Programs arrange clinical and externship placements for pharmacy technician (240 hours), dental assisting, vocational and registered nursing, paramedic and cardiac sonography students.
What students say on Niche
On Niche, City College of San Francisco averages 3.83 out of 5 from 1,062 reviews, with an overall grade of A− (checked 8 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise caring, knowledgeable instructors, the low cost and free tuition for San Francisco residents, and a diverse student body. The most common complaints are that classes are hard to get into (only 52% of surveyed students say it is easy to get the classes they want), dated buildings and classrooms, and slow responses from administrative offices. We could not see when the reviews were posted, so we can’t say whether they arrived in bursts.
Sources
Checked 8 October 2026: CCSF locations · CCSF tuition and fees · 2025-26 catalog overview · Out-of-state students and online classes · California BRN NCLEX pass rates · College Navigator · Niche
Programs & Courses
Nursing and Health (John Adams Center)
- Registered Nursing (AS, ADN)
- Licensed Vocational Nursing (Certificate of Achievement)
- Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide (certificate)
- Radiologic Technology (Diagnostic Medical Imaging)
- Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography (AS, certificate)
- ECG Technician (Certificate of Accomplishment) and Electrocardiography Technician (AS)
- Phlebotomy Technician (certificate)
- Medical Clinical Assisting, Medical Administrative Assisting, Medical Biller, Medical Receptionist, Medical Evaluation Assistant (certificates)
- Pharmacy Technician (Certificate of Achievement, AS)
- Health Information Technology (AS, certificates)
- Health Unit Coordinator
Dental (department based at the Ocean Campus)
- Dental Assisting (AS, Certificate of Achievement)
Emergency Services and Fire (John Adams Center)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT 100)
- Paramedic
- Fire Science Technology
Automotive and Construction (Evans and Mission centers)
- Automotive Technology (AS, certificates; Evans)
- Motorcycle Technician (AS, Certificate of Accomplishment; Evans)
- Construction (AS, certificates, noncredit; Evans)
- CityBuild Academy pre-apprenticeship (Evans)
- Construction Management (Mission)
Engineering Technology and Manufacturing (department based at the Ocean Campus)
- Computer Aided Design (certificates, AS)
- Mechanical Engineering Technology, HVAC/Plumbing concentration (AS)
- HVAC&R and Engineered Plumbing Systems (design-focused Certificates of Accomplishment)
- Manufacturing and Fabrication, Machining Technology I and II, Welding Technology I (Certificates of Accomplishment)
Computing and Design
- Computer Networking and Information Technology (AS, certificates; Mission, Ocean)
- Computer Programming (AS, certificates)
- Web Development (AS, certificates)
- Linux and Database Administration (certificates)
- Data Analytics Fundamentals (Certificate of Achievement)
- Graphic Design and Visual Media Design (AA, certificates)
- Interior Design (AS, Certificate of Accomplishment)
Culinary, Hospitality and Real Estate
- Culinary Arts Management (AS) and Culinary Arts and Hospitality (Certificate of Achievement)
- Culinary and Baking and Pastry noncredit certificates (free)
- Hospitality Management (AS, certificate)
- California Real Estate (AS, Certificate of Achievement)
Education and Wellness
- Child Development and Family Studies (AS-T, certificates)
- Personal Training (Certificate of Achievement)
Campus Locations
San Francisco, CA 50 Frida Kahlo Way, San Francisco, CA 94112
San Francisco, CA 1860 Hayes Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
San Francisco, CA 1400 Evans Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124
San Francisco, CA 1125 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
San Francisco, CA 808 Kearny St. (at Washington St), San Francisco, CA 94108