City College is the largest community college in the country. In fact, it is really more of a system of community colleges, with 11 campuses spread across the area. Because of its size, it is able to offer a wider range of programs and courses than most other community colleges. You can take Liberal Arts courses to complete an associate degree and go on to a four-year college, or you can work on a certificate in a technical field such as computer repair.
Skyline College, located in East Bay, also has an array of programs to select from, such as paralegal, medical technician and graphics arts. One of the advantages of a community college is that tuition is usually lower than a regular college; many students choose to complete their first two years of a four-year degree at a community college before moving on. To facilitate this, Skyline College offers Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees for those who want to pursue their education further at a four-year college.
Located in Berkely, Berkeley City College has a range of program options and courses. These include Liberal Arts, Computer Technology, Social Services, Language Studies, Arts and Computer Graphics. In addition to on-campus courses, Berkeley City College also offers a number of online courses so that students can work from home.
Santa Rosa Junior College lies a few miles to the north of San Francisco. This college offers two-year degrees that can be used for getting an entry-level job or that can be transferred to a four-year college. It also has a number of certificates and worker-training courses. It also offers adult-education courses for those not seeking college credit who still want to learn a new skill. Santa Rosa also offers a number of online courses.