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Menlo College is the closest college to downtown Palo Alto after Stanford. It sits on El Camino Real in Atherton, about 2 miles north of University Avenue, on a wooded campus next to Menlo School. It is small, with about 810 students. Its focus is business, with psychology and a few master's programs alongside. For Palo Alto readers it is a nearby option for a business degree, a place for occasional public talks and a campus that has played a quiet part in Stanford's own history.
This page uses the college's own pages as read in early November 2026, plus Wikipedia's account of its history. Check the Menlo College website before you visit or apply.
Location and getting there
The address is 1000 El Camino Real, Atherton, CA 94027. From downtown Palo Alto the campus is about 2 miles by road, or 5 to 10 minutes by car outside rush hour. Head north on El Camino Real past Stanford Shopping Center and through Menlo Park. A bike ride takes about 15 minutes.
The nearest Caltrain stop is Menlo Park, roughly a mile away. Our Menlo Park station guide covers the station. SamTrans buses run along El Camino Real. The college itself urges students to avoid bringing cars, citing a shortage of parking. It points to ride-share, car-share and SamTrans instead.
Our Woodside and Atherton guide describes the town. Our Menlo Park guide covers the shops and restaurants a few minutes south.
History
Menlo College was founded in 1927 when the Menlo School for Boys added a junior college. The new Menlo School and Junior College admitted 27 students that first year. The college says the roughly 40-acre property had earlier been home to Faxon Dean and Dominga Atherton and then to George and Ellen Fife.
The Stanford connection
From the founding through 1932, Menlo's leaders met with Stanford president Ray Lyman Wilbur about a plan in which Stanford would drop its freshman and sophomore classes and Menlo would become its lower division. Stanford's trustees turned the proposal down in 1932 and kept a four-year undergraduate program. Wilbur stayed interested and in 1933 appointed six Stanford faculty members as advisers to Menlo. Our history of Stanford covers the university's side of that era.
From junior college to business school
- 1949: the four-year School of Business Administration opened as the college's first and only four-year program. Stanford had just dropped undergraduate business to focus on its Graduate School of Business. The institutions took the names Menlo School and Menlo College.
- 1955: John D. Russell, known as "Judge," became director of the college and its business school and stayed for decades.
- 1962: the old dining commons became Bowman Library, named for former student Timothy Dillon Bowman.
- 1969: Brawner Hall opened for the business school. It still holds most business classes.
- 1971: the college became coeducational.
- 1986: Menlo became exclusively a four-year college.
- June 30, 1994: Menlo School and Menlo College formally separated. A 2008 land agreement divided the shared parcel, with the athletic fields still jointly owned. Our Menlo School page covers the other half of the story.
- 2014: the college earned AACSB accreditation for its business programs.
- 2019: it was first designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution.
- 2022: Arrillaga Hall, a 288-bed residence hall, opened as the first new campus building in nearly 45 years.
Programs
Menlo awards bachelor's degrees in business and psychology. Business students can concentrate in areas such as accounting, finance, marketing, sports management and AI and analytics. Since the 2011 entering class, every student must complete six units of supervised internships before or during senior year. The college stresses small classes and close advising.
Graduate programs include a Master of Science in Information Systems, a Master of Science in Financial Technology and a Master of Arts in Sport and Performance Psychology. The college is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.
Athletics
Menlo's teams are the Oaks. Athletic competition dates to 1928. The college moved from the NAIA to NCAA Division II, competing in the PacWest during its transition. Its history page says it joins the CCAA starting in 2026 to 2027. Wrestling and men's volleyball compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. The women's wrestling team won the college's first national titles in 2019. A women's flag football team begins play in 2026 to 2027 as the 15th varsity sport. The Haynes-Prim Pavilion, built in the 1970s, is the gym.
Admission and cost for 2026 to 2027
Admission is selective but personal, with online information sessions and instant admission events posted on the college's events calendar. The college's tuition page lists this cost of attendance for full-time students in fall and spring 2026 to 2027:
| Item | On campus | Off campus | With family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $58,110 | $58,110 | $58,110 |
| Student fee | $1,030 | $1,030 | $1,030 |
| Food and housing | $20,874 | $24,562 (estimate) | $12,538 (estimate) |
| Total estimated cost | $86,756 | $92,450 | $78,834 |
The totals also include estimates for books, transportation and personal costs. International students must buy the college health plan, priced at $1,796 for 2026 to 2027. The college says 99% of students receive some form of aid and the average package is $36,000 a year. It encourages families to use its net price calculator.
Events and resources open to the community
Menlo is not a large public venue, but some events are open to everyone. The college's events calendar marks them "Open to the Public." On Saturday, November 14, 2026, the college hosts TEDxMenlo College, listed as open to the public with a 1 p.m. start, on the same day as a Campus Visit Day for prospective students at 11 a.m. Admissions information sessions, online and in person, run through the year.
Bowman Library serves as a center for research and study and hosts community events, with more than 60,000 print volumes. The college also rents space through its conference services office and offers summer internship housing. There is no formal continuing education program for residents. For adult classes, see our adult education guide.
Campus tours
The college's visit page lays out the options:
- In-person tours run Monday to Friday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., excluding holidays.
- Saturday tours run at noon, except on holiday weekends. They do not include meetings with admissions or financial aid.
- Guided tours with a student ambassador last about 45 minutes.
- On weekdays you can add a 20 to 25 minute admissions meeting, sit in on a class at 11:10 a.m. or 12:40 p.m. or meet faculty, financial aid or advising staff, subject to availability.
- Live virtual tours of 45 minutes to an hour run Monday to Friday.
Prospective athletes should contact coaches directly. The admissions office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Parking
Parking is tight and enforced. The college's parking page sets these rules:
- A visitor parking pass or permit is required from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the year. In the Dining Hall lot the requirement runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Visitors buy a Visitor Parking Pass online. Your license plate is the pass, so there is nothing to display.
- The flagpole area at the main entrance is the only drop-off and ride-share point. Drivers who stay with their cars there need no pass.
- EV drivers may charge only at the six Tesla Universal Wall Connectors behind the library, through the Tesla app.
- Three main lots sit along the campus edge. Citations, booting and towing are possible.
Good to know
- Bike or take Caltrain if you can. Parking is limited.
- Pick a weekday tour if you want to meet admissions or sit in on a class.
- The Stanford Park Hotel and other El Camino hotels are a short drive away.
- Look for "Open to the Public" tags on the events calendar.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Menlo College tuition for 2026 to 2027?
Menlo College lists tuition of $58,110 and fees of $1,030 for full-time students in fall and spring 2026 to 2027. On-campus food and housing adds $20,874, for a total estimated cost of attendance of $86,756 living on campus. The college says 99% of students receive some aid, with an average package of $36,000 a year.
Is Menlo College the same as Menlo School?
No. They began as one institution and shared a campus, but they formally separated into two independent institutions on June 30, 1994. A 2008 agreement split the shared land into separate parcels, with the athletic fields still jointly owned.
When are Menlo College campus tours?
In-person tours run Monday to Friday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and on Saturdays at noon, except holidays. Tours last about 45 minutes. Saturday visits do not include meetings with admissions or financial aid. Live virtual tours are also offered on weekdays.
Where do visitors park at Menlo College?
Visitors must buy a visitor parking pass online, with the license plate serving as the pass. It is required from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, or 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Dining Hall lot. The flagpole area at the main entrance is the only drop-off point.
What can you study at Menlo College?
Menlo offers bachelor's degrees in business and psychology. Business areas include accounting, finance, marketing, sports management and AI and analytics. Graduate programs include master's degrees in information systems, financial technology and sport and performance psychology.