Butte College vs. San Diego City College

Comparable Facts

Compare Butte College in Oroville, CA with San Diego City College in San Diego, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

San Diego City College is larger than Butte College based on total student enrollment (13,242 students vs. 10,968 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); San Diego City College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; San Diego City College 22:1.

Butte College vs. San Diego City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College or San Diego City College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Butte College than San Diego City College ($9,112 vs. $10,040).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 42.7% lower than at San Diego City College ($17,894 vs. $31,243).
• Butte College is 18.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego City College (about $210 more per year; $1,356.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 7.8% higher at San Diego City College than at Butte College (about $726 more per year; $10,002.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at San Diego City College (88% vs. 87%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego City College students is 57.3% larger than aid received by Butte College students ($10,500 vs. $6,677).

Butte College vs. San Diego City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte College or San Diego City College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between San Diego City College and Butte College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Butte College - Open admission; San Diego City College - Open admission.

Butte College vs. San Diego City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and San Diego City College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Butte College earn a median of about $3,200 more per year than San Diego City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,400 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego City College graduates have a $9,478 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($4,500 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, San Diego City College graduates have an estimated $98 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($46 vs. $144).
• More Butte College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego City College students, three years after graduation. (32% vs. 30%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.