General description

Approximately 40,000 people throughout San Mateo County attend one of the three Colleges of the San Mateo County Community College District: Cañada College in Redwood City, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College in San Bruno. Although the boundaries of the San Mateo County Community College District are the same as those of the County, the District Board of Trustees is independent of County government. The five-member Board of Trustees is elected at large by County voters every four years, and governs one of the largest two-year college systems in California.

The academic and vocational programs offered by the Colleges are designed to meet the educational needs of the community. Anyone who is a high school graduate or 18 years of age or older can select from thousands of courses offered at convenient times on the campuses and at a number of off-campus locations. The Colleges offer:

• Quality transfer programs. Reports from the University of California and California State Universities have consistently shown that our students who transfer do as well as or better than students who began their college studies at the four-year schools.
• More than 80 vocational degree and certificate programs which prepare students for immediate employment in such areas as health careers, computer sciences, telecommunications, administration of justice, technical arts and graphics, automotive and a variety of office careers.
• Upgrade training for working professionals. More than 19% of our students already have a bachelor’s or higher degree but return to us for training in new technologies, to learn a new language for international trade, or to upgrade their skills in a variety of fields.
• Developmental education to prepare students for college studies. Some students whom we serve have a strong desire to learn and earn a college degree but, for a variety of reasons, are not adequately prepared for college studies. Our developmental studies course help them make this transition.

The total of all funds managed by the District is $119.2 million; the unrestricted general fund (or operating budget) totals $78.9 million. The greatest expenditure in the budget is devoted to faculty and staff salaries and benefits, with more than 82 percent of the budget allocated to these items.

Why choose San Mateo County Community College District

The Colleges of the San Mateo County Community College District, Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College, recognizing each individual’s right to education, provide the occasions and settings which enable students to develop their minds and their skills, engage their spirits, broaden their understanding of social responsibilities, increase their cultural awareness and realize their individual potential. The District actively participates in the economic, social, and cultural development of San Mateo County. In a richly diverse environment and with increasing awareness of its role in the global community, the District is dedicated to maintaining a climate of academic freedom in which a wide variety of viewpoints is cultivated and shared. The District actively participates in the continuing development of the California Community Colleges as an integral and effective component of the structure of public higher education the State.