There are plenty of universities and colleges in San Francisco County. Some of them are Golden Gate University, SF State University, California Institute of Integral Studies, SF Art Institute, Academy of Art, University of California, Heald College, California College of the Arts, American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, City College of SF and University of California Berkeley Extension.

One of the most popular University is the San Francisco State University.  It was founded in 1899 as San Francisco State Normal School which was a two-year teacher-training college.  It was the first normal school in the nation to require a high school diploma for admission.  The first graduating class was 36 people, all women, in 1901.  The first man admitted was in 1904. The four-year program was first offered in 1935.

Keeping in the San Francisco tradition, SF State is known for activism, service to the community and social engagement.  The University is one of very few schools to be called a "College with a Conscience" by the Princeton Review.

Another of the great Universities in San Francisco County is The Academy of Art.  Established in 1929 by Richard S. Stephens, it was opened to teach advertising art and to be a distinguished faculty of practicing art and design professionals.  The philosophy  was to hire established professionals to teach future professionals.  In 1933 they expanded the curriculum to include Fashion Illustration then in 1936 a Fine Art Department was added.

Today the University has more than 13,000 students which makes it the largest private school of art and design in the country.