I should point out that while I've certainly made friends and contacts at a number of the schools listed, I am not affiliated in any way with any of them. This is not intended as a promotion for any school - only a guide to help people find information. As an eastern transplant, I know that before I got here I wouldn't have understood the differences between, say, Contra Costa College and the College of Marin. In fact, they're quite different, and it's important for the student to find the right match. I hope this helps in that endeavor.
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School - Conference - Setting - Notes (including population)
College of Alameda - Bay Valley - suburban - Alameda is a suburban island with 80,000 people on it immediately west of Oakland and across the bay from San Francisco.
Allan Hancock College - Western State - small town - AHC is located in Santa Maria, a town of under 100,000 near the coast between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo
American River College - Bay Valley - urban suburb - ARC is one of three JCs located in Sacramento, which is the State Capital and an emerging mid-sized city nearing 2 million in population. It's about 90 miles from the Bay Area, and a little farther than that from the Nevada border.
Antelope Valley College - Foothill - small city - AVC is located in Lancaster, which (along with neighboring Palmdale) has about 250,000 people. It's in the Mojave Desert, just over an hour north of LA
Bakersfield College - Western State - small city - Bakersfield is a city of about 200,000 in the southern part of the San Joaquin Valley, and about 2 hours north of LA
Barstow College - Foothill - small town - Barstow is a town of about 20,000 in the Mojave Desert about midway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas
Butte College - Golden Valley - small town - Butte College is in Oroville, a town of less than 20,000 about an hour north of Sacramento
Cabrillo College - Coast - small town - Aptos is a town of about 10,000 on the coast near Santa Cruz
Canada College - Coast - suburban - Canada College is located in the hills on the west edge of Redwood City, a suburb between San Francisco and San Jose. The campus is just gorgeous.
College of the Canyons - Western State - suburban - COC is located in Valencia, an outer suburb in the foothills north of the San Fernando Valley and about 45 minutes north of downtown LA
Cerritos College - South Coast - urban suburb - Cerritos College is located in Norwalk, an urban suburb between LA and Anaheim
Cerro Coso College - Foothill - small town - Cerro Coso is located in Ridgecrest, a town of about 30,000 in Owens River Valley about 3 hours north of Los Angeles
Chabot College - Coast - urban suburb - Chabot College is located in Hayward, an urban suburb just south of Oakland
Chaffey College - Foothill - suburban - Chaffey College is in Rancho Cucamonga, which is in the part of the LA suburban sprawl known as the "inland empire," and about an hour east of downtown LA.
Citrus College - Western State - suburban - Citrus College is located in Glendora, a suburb northeast of downtown LA between Pasadena and Pomona
Columbia College - Central Valley - small town - Columbia is a town of less than 5,000 people in the hills near Yosemite and maybe an hour east of Modesto/Stockton
Compton College - South Coast/Western State - urban suburb - Compton is an urban suburb south of downtown LA
Contra Costa College - Bay Valley - urban - Contra Costa College is located in San Pablo, an urban suburb in the East Bay (north of Oakland).
Cosumnes River College - Bay Valley - urban suburb - CRC is one of three JCs (along with American River and Sacramento City) located in Sacramento, which is the State Capital and an emerging mid-sized city nearing 2 million in population. It's about 90 miles from the Bay Area, and a little farther than that from the Nevada border.
Cuesta College - Western State - small town - Cuesta College is located in San Luis Obispo, a town of about 50,000 near the coast, midway between LA and the San Francisco Bay Area
Cuyamaca - Pacific Coast - suburban - Cuyamaca is located in El Cajon, a suburb east of San Diego
Cypress College - Orange Empire/Mission - suburban - Cypress is an urban suburb in Northern Orange County between Long Beach and Anaheim, southeast of LA
DeAnza College - Coast - suburban - DeAnza College is located in Cupertino, a suburb near San Jose (in the San Francisco Bay Area).
College of the Desert - Foothill - small town - COD is located in Palm Desert, town of about 30,000 in the desert near Palm Springs
Diablo Valley College - Bay Valley - suburban - DVC is located in Pleasant Hill, an outer East Bay suburb near Concord.
East Los Angeles College - South Coast/Western State - urban suburb - East LA College is located in Monterey Park (not East LA), which is an urban suburb east of downtown LA
El Camino College - South Coast - suburb - ECC is located in Torrance, a suburb south of downtown LA
Evergreen Valley College - Coast - suburban - EVC is located on the east side of San Jose. No Mens Basketball
Feather River College - Golden Valley - small town - Feather River College is located in Quincy, a town of less than 5,000 population in the Sierra Mountains a couple of hours north of Sacramento
Foothill College - Coast - suburban - Foothill College is located in Los Altos Hills, a ritzy suburb midway between San Jose and San Francisco
Fresno City College - Central Valley - urban - Fresno is mid-sized city (population: about 500,000) in the San Joaquin Valley, about 3 hours from both the Los Angeles and San Francisco metro areas.
Fullerton College - Orange Empire/Mission - suburban - Fullerton is a large suburb in Northern Orange County just north of Anaheim
Gavilan College - Coast - small town - Gavilan College is located in Gilroy, a town of 40,000 a few minutes south of San Jose known as the Garlic Capital of the World
Glendale College - Western State - suburban - Glendale is a small city that long ago became a suburb, 20 minutes northeast of downtown LA
Golden West College - Orange Empire/Mission - suburban - GWC is located in Huntington Beach, a coastal suburb in middle Orange County just south of Anaheim. THE MENS BASKETBALL PROGRAM was DISBANDED in 2005.
Grossmont College - Foothill/Pacific Coast - suburban - Grossmont is in El Cajon, a suburb east of San Diego
Hartnell College - Coast - small city - Hartnell College is located in Salinas, a slightly inland city of nearly 200,000 a half-hour south of San Jose
Imperial Valley - Pacific Coast - small city - Imperial is a small city (population of it and neighboring cites: about 100,000) in the desert east of San Diego, between the Mexican border and the (inland) Salton Sea
Irvine Valley College - Orange Empire/Mission - suburban - Irvine is an outer suburb in south Orange County (south of Santa Ana)
Laney College - Bay Valley - urban - Laney is located in downtown Oakland, just across the bay from San Francisco.
Las Positas - Coast - suburban - Las Positas is located in Livermore, a town of 70,000 that has become an outer suburb east of Oakland
Lassen College - Golden Valley - small town - Lassen College is located in Susanville, a town of less than 10,000 in the Sierra Mountains a few hours north of Sacramento
Long Beach City College - South Coast - urban - Long Beach is a coastal city south of downtown LA
Los Angeles City College - South Coast - urban - LACC is an urban campus on the east end of Hollywood and just a few minutes from downtown LA
Los Angeles Harbor College - South Coast/Western State - urban suburb - LAHC is located in Wilmington, an urban suburb south of downtown LA
Los Angeles Mission College - (*not in a conference) - urban suburb - LA Mission is in Sylmar, an urban suburb in northeastern part of the San Fernando Valley - No Mens Basketball
Los Angeles Pierce College - Western State - suburban - LA Pierce is in Woodland Hills, an LA suburb in the western part of the San Fernando Valley
Los Angeles Southwest College - South Coast/Western State - urban - LASW is located in South Central Los Angeles near Watts
Los Angeles Trade-Technical College - South Coast - urban - LA Trade Tech has an urban campus near downtown LA, just 12 blocks south of Staples Ctr.
Los Angeles Valley College - Western State - urban suburb - LA Valley is in Valley Glen, an urban LA suburb in the central San Fernando Valley
Los Medanos - Bay Valley - small city - LMC is located in Pittsburg, a town of under 100,000 which is on the Sacramento River just east of Concord, and on the outer edge of the Bay Area.
College of Marin - Bay Valley - suburban - COM is located in Kentfield, which is part of Marin County, one of the wealthiest and most unusual places to live in the known universe. (I should know - I used to live in Marin!)
Marymount College - South Coast - suburban - Marymount College is located in Rancho Palos Verdes, which is a few minutes south of downtown LA, on a hilltop overlooking the ocean - No Mens Basketball
Mendocino College - Bay Valley - small town - Mendocino College is located in Ukiah, an inland town of 20,000 amongst the giant redwoods, about two hours north of San Francisco.
Merced College - Central Valley - small city - Merced is a city of 70,000 on highway 99 between Fresno and Modesto in the San Joaquin Valley
Merritt College - Bay Valley - urban - Merritt is located in Oakland, one of the three major cities in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Mira Costa - Pacific Coast - Oceanside - outer suburbia, slightly inland, about 20 minutes north of San Diego. The town of Oceanside is very near the Marine base, Camp Pendleton, though the college is more inland and in the middle of suburbia.
Miramar - Pacific Coast - suburban - Miramar is located in suburban San Diego, north of downtown
Modesto Jr College - Central Valley - small city - Modesto is a city of about 200,000 a few minutes south of Stockton and an hour-plus south of Sacramento in the San Joaquin Valley
Monterey Peninsula College - Coast - small town - MPC is in Monterey, a town of about 40,000 on the coast about an hour south of Bay Area
Moorpark College - Western State - suburban - Moorpark College is nestled in the hills between the towns of Moorpark and Simi Valley
Mt San Antonio College - South Coast - suburban - Mt. SAC is located in Walnut, a suburb east of downtown LA near Pomona
Mt. San Jacinto College - Foothill - small town - MSJC is located in the town of San Jacinto, which is next to Hemet (total population: about 50,000) just a few minutes away from Riverside (east of LA & north of San Diego)
Napa Valley College - Bay Valley - small town - Napa is a town of 60,000 in the heart of the wine country and located just north of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Ohlone College - Coast - suburban - Ohlone College is located in Fremont, a suburb between Oakland and San Jose in the San Francisco Bay Area
Orange Coast College - Orange Empire/Mission - suburban - OCC is located in Costa Mesa, a suburb in south Orange County (south of Anaheim)
Oxnard College - Western State - small city - Oxnard is a coastal city of about 200,000 an hour northwest of downtown LA that has become part of LA's suburban sprawl
Palomar - Pacific Coast - suburban - Palomar is located in San Marcos, an outer suburb, slightly inland, about 30 minutes north of San Diego
Pasadena City College - South Coast - suburban - Pasadena is a small city that long ago became a suburb northeast of downtown LA
Porterville College - Central Valley - small town - Porterville is an inland town of 30,000 or so in the San Joaquin Valley about 45 minutes north of Bakersfield.
College of the Redwoods - Golden Valley - small town - COR is located in Eureka, a coastal town of 30,000 about an hour south of the Oregon border
Reedley College - Central Valley - small town - Reedley is located in the San Joaquin Valley between Fresno and Visalia.
Rio Hondo College - Foothill - suburban - RHC is located in Whittier, a suburb east of downtown LA and northwest of Anaheim
Riverside Community College - Orange Empire/Mission - small city - Riverside is a small city of 300,000 or so a little over an hour east of downtown LA that has become part of the LA sprawl
Sacramento City College - Bay Valley - urban - SCC is one of three JCs located in Sacramento, which is the State Capital and an emerging mid-sized city (total area population: 2 million). It's about 90 miles from the Bay Area, and a little farther than that from the Nevada border.
Saddleback College - Orange Empire/Mission - suburban - Saddleback College is located in Mission Viejo, an outer suburb in south Orange County (south of Irvine)
San Bernardino Valley College - Foothill - urban - San Bernardino is a small city of about 200,000 an hour east of LA, though the LA sprawl has now made it out this far.
San Diego City - Pacific Coast - urban - SDC is located in downtown San Diego
San Diego Mesa - Pacific Coast/Foothill - suburban - San Diego Mesa is in the northeast surburban part of SD
City College of San Francisco - Coast - urban - CCSF is located near the geographic center of San Francisco - away from downtown and where the fog rolls in regularly
San Joaquin Delta College - Bay Valley - small city - Delta College is located in Stockton, a city of 250,000 or so in the northern end of the San Joaquin Delta, about an hour south of Sacramento and 90 minutes east of the Bay Area.
San Jose City College - Coast - urban - SJCC is located on the west side of the "capital of Silicon Valley"
San Jose Mission College - Coast - suburban - Mission College is located in Santa Clara, a suburb near San Jose - No Mens Basketball
College of San Mateo - Coast - suburban - San Mateo is a suburb halfway between San Francisco and San Jose, and the college is in the hills on the west end of town
Santa Ana College - Orange Empire/Mission - urban suburb - Santa Ana is small city of 300,000-plus that is now firmly entrenched as part of the LA/Anaheim sprawl. It's in middle Orange County.
Santa Barbara City College - Western State - small city - Santa Barbara is a coastal city of about 80,000 about 2 hours from LA, and the campus is literally across the street from the beach
Santa Monica College - Western State - urban suburb - Santa Monica is a small city on the coast that is directly west of downtown LA
Santa Rosa Jr College - Bay Valley - small city - Santa Rosa is a big small town of about 120,000 located in wine country about an hour north of San Francisco.
Santiago Canyon College - Orange Empire/Mission - suburban - Santiago Canyon College is located in the City of Orange, a suburb of Anaheim in middle Orange County - No Mens Basketball
College of the Sequoias - Central Valley - small city - COS is located in Visalia, a city of about 100,000 just south of Fresno
Shasta College - Golden Valley - small town - Shasta College is located in Redding, an inland town of 80,000 or so several hours north of Sacramento
Sierra College - Bay Valley - small town - Sierra College is located in Rocklin, a town of 20,000 or so just outside Sacramento.
College of the Siskiyous - Golden Valley - small town - COS is located in Weed, an inland town of less than 5,000 very near Oregon border
Skyline College - Coast - suburban - Skyline is located in San Bruno, a suburb just south of San Francisco. The campus is in the hills just above the coast off Pacifica
Solano College - Bay Valley - small city - Solano College is located in Fairfield, a city of 100,000-plus which is on the 80 Fwy about halfway between Sacramento and Bay Area
Southwestern - Pacific Coast/Foothill - suburban - Southwestern is located in Chula Vista, a coastal suburb south of San Diego
Taft College - Central Valley - small town - Taft is a town of about 6,000 a few minutes southwest of Bakersfield - No Mens Basketball
Ventura College - Western State - small city - Ventura is a small coastal city of about 100,000 between Oxnard and Santa Barbara that has become part of the LA sprawl
Victor Valley College - Foothill - small town - VVC is in Victorville, a town of 50,000 or so in the Mojave desert, north of San Bernardino
West Hills College - Central Valley - small town - WHC is located in Coalinga, a town of 10,000 or so just southwest of Fresno (on the 5 Fwy) in San Joaquin Valley
West Los Angeles College - Western State - urban suburb - West LA College is in Culver City (not West LA) which is west of downtown LA and near the airport (LAX)
West Valley College - Coast - suburban - WVC is located in Saratoga, a rather ritzy suburb just west of of San Jose
Yuba College - Bay Valley - small city - Yuba College is located in Marysville, a town of about 12,000, which is about a half-hour north of Sacramento
*Not listed in a Conference. LA Mission does not have a Mens Basketball team. The web address is: http://www.lamission.edu).
NOTE: the terms "urban", "urban suburb", "suburban", "small city" and "small town" are relative and subjective. I don't mean all "urban" campuses are in ghettos, or that all "small town" campuses are in farming communities. "Urban" means in the heart of a city; "urban suburb" means in the middle of a suburb that is very much like a city; "suburban" means a suburb that is largely residential; "small city" means it's in a city with a population between 50,000 and 500,000; "small town" means it's most closely associated with a town of 50,000 population or smaller and no larger city is nearby.
ALSO: Some schools without a Mens basketball program may have provisions for their students to play for a nearby school that does have one. I know San Jose Mission and West Valley College used to have such an arrangement. Check with the individual schools to see if they have such a mechanism in place.
Continue the Guide
Page 1 - Intro
Page 2 - Finding a California Community College
Page 3 - First Contact
Page 4 - Finding a Team To Play For
Links to California Community Colleges
An overview of California
