Golden Gate University, San Francisco

Golden Gate University (GGU) is a private, nonprofit institution located in the heart of San Francisco’s Financial District. Founded in 1901, it is one of California’s oldest private universities and is specifically designed to serve working adults and nontraditional students through flexible, career-focused programs. 

Academic Profile

GGU specializes in professional education across five primary schools: 

• Ageno School of Business: Offers MBA, MS in Finance, and Business Analytics.
• Braden School of Taxation: Home to one of the largest graduate tax programs in the country.
• School of Accounting: Provides specialized degrees in accounting and data analytics.
• School of Law: One of the oldest law schools in the West; notably, it has discontinued its JD program (as of November 2023) but continues to offer MSL and LLM degrees.
• School of Undergraduate Studies: Focuses on degrees for adult learners. 

Key Characteristics

• Modality: Offers more than 60 programs in online, on-campus, and hybrid formats. Most courses are scheduled for evenings and weekends to accommodate working professionals.
• Accreditation: Reaffirmed by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) through 2031, though currently under a "Notice of Concern" as of late 2025.
• Faculty: Classes are taught by scholar-practitioners who are active professionals in Bay Area and Silicon Valley companies.
• Student Body: Enrolls approximately 5,000 students, with a high concentration (roughly 85%) in graduate programs. 

Campus & Facilities

• Urban Campus: The main campus at 536 Mission Street lacks traditional dorms or dining halls, functioning instead as a professional learning environment integrated into the city.
• Regional Sites: Additional teaching sites are located in Silicon Valley and Seattle.
• Financial Aid: Over half of students receive financial assistance; interested students can use the GGU Net Price Calculator to estimate costs.