Laney College
- Laney College, in the heart of vibrant, multicultural downtown Oakland, features the cosmopolitan atmosphere and human energy of a big-city university. Across the street from the Oakland Museum of California, blocks from historic Chinatown, and a pleasant stroll from both Lake Merritt and the Oakland Estuary, Laney gives its 12,000-plus students ready access to the city's formidable intellectual, cultural, and natural resources. With renowned programs in such fields as Journalism, Culinary Arts, Mathematics, Machine Technology, and Ethnic Studies, Laney has been a leader in academic and vocational education for decades. A talented faculty and dedicated staff, not to mention a new state-of-the-art technology center, ensure that Laney will remain at the forefront of Information Age community education for years to come.
School Highlights
Laney College serves 10,424 students (24% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 29:1 is higher than the state community college average of 24:1.
Minority enrollment is 86% of the student body (majority Asian and Hispanic), which is more than the state average of 77%.
Top Rankings
Laney College ranks among the top 20% of community colleges in California for:
- Category Attribute
- Diversity Diversity in US community colleges
School Overview
The teacher population of 354 teachers has grown by 53% over five years.
| Laney College | (CA) Community College Avg. | |
| Carnegie Classification | Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional | Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Traditional |
| Institution Level | Less than 2 yrs | At least 2 but less than 4 years |
| Institution Control | Public | Public |
| Total Faculty | 354 staff | 308 staff |
| School Calendar | Link to School Calendar | |
Source: 2020 (or latest year available) IPEDS
School Notes
- Laney is the largest of the four colleges (13,000 students) in the Peralta Community College District, which serves the six cities of Northern Alameda County (Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland and Piedmont). Ours is a unique institution, and we are fiercely proud of its long history and ongoing commitment to service. A crucial part of that commitment is ensuring the quality of your education as well as your overall campus experience. Our success, after all, is inseparable from yours and student learning is our first priority. The Laney college campus, which opened in 1970, is a vibrant and safe environment in a central location in downtown Oakland on 60 acres of land. Laney is across the street from the Oakland Museum and the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center. We are also one block from the Lake Merritt Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station and two blocks from the Alameda County Courthouse and beautiful Lake Merritt. The campus is in walking distance to Oakland's Chinatown and is easily accessible to the famous Jack London Square Laney is well known for its outstanding student newspaper, the Laney Tower; its Transfer Opportunity Center; and its array of quality academic and occupational course offerings. In addition, Associate degrees are offered in more than twenty (20) Liberal Arts and Science fields. Laney transfers more students per year to UC Berkeley than any other college of its size in the United States. Many other Laney students transfer to California State University campuses, local and out-of-state independent institutions and historically black colleges and universities. The faculty and staff are our campus' greatest asset. Laney's wonderful diversity, set in the midst of a lively urban center, makes it particularly wealthy in human potential.Laney is a vibrant campus with a comprehensive educational offering, where students are challenged and inspired to actualize their highest potential.
Nearby Schools
The nearest community college to Laney College is College of Alameda (1.6 miles away).
- College Location Mi. Students
- College of AlamedaPublic5,667 students | 1.60 Mi555 Ralph Appezzato Memorial Pky
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 522-7221 1.605,667 - Berkeley City CollegePublic5,644 students | 5.10 Mi2050 Center Sreet
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 981-2800 5.105,644 - Merritt CollegePublic6,857 students | 5.10 Mi12500 Campus Dr
Oakland, CA 94619
(510) 531-4911 5.106,857 - FIDM-Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising-San FranciscoPrivate for-profit188 students | 8.00 Mi55 Stockton St
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 675-5200 8.00188 - Carrington College-San LeandroPrivate for-profit251 students | 9.80 Mi15555 East 14th St., Ste. 500
San Leandro, CA 94578
(510) 276-3888 9.80251
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