San Francisco State University, College of Business

What San Francisco State University, College of Business does

The Lam Family College of Business is the business school of San Francisco State University, a constituent campus of the California State University (CSU) system founded in 1899 and re-named following a Lam family gift. It delivers AACSB-style business education at scale from two San Francisco locations: the main campus at 1600 Holloway Avenue and the Downtown Campus at 835 Market Street, Suite 600. The portfolio includes the B.S. in Business Administration with 10 concentrations (Analytics, Accounting, Finance, Marketing, Management, Information Systems, International Business, Hospitality/Tourism, Labor Studies, Economics), the B.S. in Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management, the SF State Scholars blended bachelor's + master's pathway, the 13-month MBA for Executives, the M.S. in Quantitative Economics, the M.S. in Business Analytics, and 11 graduate certificates (Finance, Enterprise Cybersecurity, Marketing in the Digital Economy, Ethics & Compliance, International Business & Global Leadership, Decision Sciences, Sustainable Business, among others). Auxiliary operations include The Vista Room — a teaching restaurant laboratory on the 4th floor of Burk Hall — and the Center for Ethical & Sustainable Business (CESB), established in 2011.

The college's business model is fundamentally tuition-funded: California State University system tuition for resident undergraduates, plus graduate and certificate program fees processed via Cal State Apply, plus ancillary revenue from The Vista Room's a-la-carte and pre-fixe lunch service (e.g., three-course pre-fixe at $21+tax) and event catering. Secondary revenue streams include WELF registration fees ($195 general / $145 SFSU Alumni in 2016 pricing) and an annual Taste of the Bay fundraiser. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer via the cob.sfsu.edu web presence, social channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X), Zoom drop-in advising, email/newsletter, and major on-campus events like WELF and the Distinguished Lecture Series. The Vista Room provides a retail/physical storefront distribution channel open to the public during the academic year.

The technology stack centers on the standard CSU learning management system (iLearn) augmented by enterprise software training (SAP Recognition Award Program, Microsoft Office Specialist Certification), online conferencing (Zoom), and faculty-built pedagogical tools such as a Decision Support Prototype for Startup Readiness developed by Sameer Verma. Industry partnerships anchor the experience layer: SAP Inc. for the enterprise-software certificate (200+ completers since 2012), Visa (WELF 2025 host), LinkedIn (WELF 2024 host), KPMG (WELF 2022-2023 host), plus access-line relationships with Bank of America, JPMorgan, Sephora, Meta, and Bank of Marin. The Vista Room and CESB together provide applied-learning channels (sustainability-themed California cuisine, ethics research) that distinguish the college within the CSU system.

Name

San Francisco State University, College of Business

Legal name

San Francisco State University

Website

https://cob.sfsu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Lam Family College of Business at San Francisco State University is a public business school within the CSU system offering undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and 11 graduate certificates to students and working professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Business Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Executive Education & Corporate Programs (Non-degree) (EDAHAHAN), Marketing, Sales & Brand Management Schools (EDAHAHAE), Mentorship & Coaching (Career, Academic, Industry-Specific) (EDAMAKAA)

Keywords

• Business education programs
• Undergraduate business degrees
• Graduate business programs
• Professional certificate programs
• Executive business education

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: As a public California State University campus, the college generates revenue primarily through student tuition and enrollment fees for undergraduate and graduate degree programs, certificate programs, and graduate non-degree seeking students.
2. The Vista Room Restaurant: The Vista Room operates as a teaching laboratory restaurant open to the public, generating revenue through lunch service and special-occasion venue bookings. Lunch is offered a la carte or as three-course pre-fixe meals.
3. Graduate Certificate Programs: Professional development and graduate certificate programs (11 different certificates) targeting working professionals, including Finance, Enterprise Cybersecurity, Marketing in Digital Economy, Ethics & Compliance, and others.
4. Event Catering and Banquets: The Vista Room provides catering and banquet services for events, generating additional revenue.
5. Women's Emerging Leadership Forum (WELF): Annual professional development event with registration fees ($195 General Admission, $145 SFSU Alumni), bringing together corporate sponsors and participants.
6. Taste of the Bay Fundraising Event: Annual fundraising event featuring Bay Area restaurants, wineries, and beverage companies, with opportunity drawing for dining and entertainment items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Lam Family College of Business at San Francisco State University delivers undergraduate and graduate business education, offering a B.S. in Business Administration with 10 concentrations, a B.S. in Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management, an MBA for Executives (13-month program), an MS in Quantitative Economics, and 11 graduate certificate programs in specialized fields such as Finance, Enterprise Cybersecurity, Marketing in the Digital Economy, and Ethics & Compliance. The college supplements classroom learning with hands-on experiential opportunities through The Vista Room teaching restaurant, the Center for Ethical & Sustainable Business (CESB), and the Women's Emerging Leadership Forum (WELF).

Product overview

The Lam Family College of Business at San Francisco State University is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic degree programs and professional development offerings. The portfolio includes undergraduate degrees (B.S. in Business Administration with multiple concentrations including Business Analytics; B.S. in Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management), accelerated blended bachelor's + master's programs through SF State Scholars, graduate degrees (MBA for Executives - 13-month program, MS in Quantitative Economics), and 11 graduate certificate programs in specialized fields such as Finance, Enterprise Cybersecurity, Marketing in the Digital Economy, and Ethics & Compliance. The college also operates The Vista Room, a teaching restaurant laboratory, and the Center for Ethical & Sustainable Business (CESB) for research and community engagement. The Women's Emerging Leadership Forum (WELF) is the flagship professional development event for women.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Center for Ethical & Sustainable Business (CESB): Center integrating ethics, corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability beyond the classroom for undergraduate and graduate business students, faculty and the Bay Area business community.
• The Vista Room
• Women's Emerging Leadership Forum (WELF)

Products and services

• B.S. in Business Administration
• B.S. in Business Administration Concentration in Business Analytics
• B.S. in Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management
• SF State Scholars Programs (Blended Bachelor's + Master's)
• MBA for Executives
• Master of Science in Quantitative Economics
• Graduate Certificate Programs
• Graduate Certificate in Finance
• Graduate Certificate in Marketing in the Digital Economy
• Graduate Certificate in Enterprise Cybersecurity
• The Vista Room

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 10 Best Green MBA ranking by Princeton Review (2021)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• VisaflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 November 2025Visa hosted WELF 2025 at its global headquarters in San Francisco. The annual forum focused on Women in Finance and brought together speakers from Visa and other financial institutions. Visa employee volunteers contributed to event execution. This was the largest WELF audience to date.
• LinkedInflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 October 2024LinkedIn hosted WELF 2024 at its headquarters in downtown San Francisco. The event theme was 'Unlock Growth Through Lifelong Learning' with LinkedIn employees participating as panelists and moderators. LinkedIn's logistics team supported event execution.
• KPMGcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 October 2022KPMG collaborated with LFCoB for WELF 2022 and WELF 2023 events, providing their San Francisco office space (55 Second Street) as venue. KPMG helped increase WELF's visibility and participation from industry professionals.
• SAP Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012SAP collaborated with LFCoB to develop an enterprise software certificate program for graduate and undergraduate students. Over 200 students have earned SAP certificates since the program's inception. Lutfus Sayeed initiated the certificate program.
• Drupal AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Sameer Verma serves on the Board of Directors of the Drupal Association, contributing to open source software community governance and academic-industry collaboration.
• WiRED InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Sameer Verma serves on advisory board of WiRED International, which focuses on health education in developing countries. SF State has served as institutional partner for One Laptop per Child community initiatives.
• Bay Area BusinessescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCESB vision centers on engagement between SF State LFCoB students and Bay Area businesses. Business leaders participate on campus, fund student projects, and contribute to CESB learning and research communities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cal State East Bay College of Business: Another CSU business school in the East Bay with AACSB accreditation and similar undergraduate concentrations, MBA, and certificate offerings. Closest same-system peer in geographic proximity to SF State.
• Sacramento State College of Business: Sibling CSU business school serving Northern California with comparable degree and certificate portfolio. Operates under the same system tuition and admission policies, competing for statewide online and transfer applicants.
• UC Berkeley Haas School of Business: Public University of California system business school also located in the Bay Area. Competes for the same student and faculty pool, offers MBA and undergraduate business programs, and is the closest CSU-system counterweight in the region.
• Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business: Bay Area private Jesuit business school offering undergraduate business degrees, MBA, and graduate certificates. Comparable academic portfolio and regional employer pipeline, with private-school positioning versus LFCoB's public mission.
• University of San Francisco School of Management: San Francisco-based Jesuit university business school offering undergraduate and graduate business programs with a strong sustainability and ethics positioning. Competes head-to-head for SF-located students and professionals.
• San Jose State University Lucas College of Business: Sibling CSU business school serving Silicon Valley with AACSB-accredited undergraduate and graduate business programs, comparable tuition structure, and similar target students. Most direct system-mate peer competing for the same applicant pool.
• Golden Gate University Ageno School of Business: San Francisco-based private nonprofit business school focused on working professionals with graduate business and certificate programs. Direct competitor in the downtown SF graduate and professional education segment.

Broad incumbents

• Stanford Graduate School of Business: Premier Bay Area business school sitting at the top of the same MBA and executive education market. While not a direct competitor for most LFCoB applicants due to price/selectivity, it defines the aspirational benchmark that shapes employer perception and credential value across the region.

Regional players

• University of the Pacific Eberhardt School of Business: Northern California private business school offering MBA and undergraduate business programs with regional recruiting footprint. Comparable in scale and Bay Area-adjacent alumni networks.

Emerging players

• LinkedIn Learning: Corporate partner of LFCoB's WELF 2024 and a dominant online professional education platform. Represents the alternative credentialing ecosystem competing for the same working-professional learners targeted by LFCoB's graduate certificate portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sfstatecob
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQlkc33sgxH7W9zQu9EfHYQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/sfstatecob
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/san-francisco-state-university-college-of-business
• Instagraminstagram.com/sfstatecob

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about San Francisco State University, College of Business