Best Computer Science Schools Near Petaluma, CA (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Petaluma, California has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs. Petaluma has a population of about 59,321. Median household income is $109,823 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 42.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $173,840 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Computer Science Schools to Petaluma

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer computer science programs near Petaluma, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Petaluma city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Petaluma. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Sonoma State University

Rohnert Park, CA 7.3 miles from Petaluma
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
76.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $65,986
Avg net price $12,885/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Solano Community College

Fairfield, CA 27.4 miles from Petaluma
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,170
Avg net price $4,669/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of California-Berkeley

Berkeley, CA 32.4 miles from Petaluma
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
93.9 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 11%
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,446
Avg net price $13,481/yr
Tuition
In‑state$16,347
Out‑of‑state$50,547
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 127

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA 33.6 miles from Petaluma
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
70.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $89,812
Avg net price $41,431/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 81

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Golden Gate University

San Francisco, CA 33.7 miles from Petaluma
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
62.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $87,434
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 27

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Academy of Art University

San Francisco, CA 33.7 miles from Petaluma
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
20.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 25%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,008
Avg net price $40,613/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA 36.9 miles from Petaluma
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,077
Avg net price $12,278/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 102

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Saint Mary's College of California

Moraga, CA 39.5 miles from Petaluma
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,812
Avg net price $30,378/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California computer science page.

Computer Science Wages Near Petaluma

Petaluma is part of the Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA metro area (BLS area code 42220). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer $148,630 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $137,876
Computer Systems Analyst $113,520 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $105,306
Computer Network Architect $118,340 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $109,777
Database Administrator $104,340 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $96,790
Database Architect $170,160 CA statewide $157,848
Information Security Analyst $110,340 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $102,356
Computer Network Support Specialist $78,450 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $72,774
Computer User Support Specialist $76,900 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $71,336
Web Developer $103,530 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $96,039
Web and Digital Interface Designer $97,420 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $90,371
Computer and Information Systems Manager $173,840 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $161,262

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Petaluma at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 59,321 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $109,823 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 42.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 107.8 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Computer Science-related employment in Sonoma County 744 workers, 193 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Petaluma-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited computer science schools are near Petaluma, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs near Petaluma. The closest is Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, CA (7.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is InterCoast Colleges-Fairfield (27.3 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Petaluma?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Petaluma are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($173,840), Database Architect ($170,160), Software Developer ($148,630). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Rohnert Park instead of Petaluma?

Rohnert Park, CA is 8.2 miles from Petaluma and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Petaluma an affordable place to study computer science?

Petaluma’s median household income of $109,823 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Petaluma while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Computer Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Petaluma

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Petaluma:

Data verified: September 6, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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