City College of San Francisco vs. Foothill College

Comparable Facts

Compare City College of San Francisco in San Francisco, CA with Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

City College of San Francisco is larger than Foothill College based on total student enrollment (19,267 students vs. 12,949 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• City College of San Francisco is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); Foothill College is in Los Altos Hills, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• City College of San Francisco is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Foothill College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: City College of San Francisco 24:1; Foothill College 26:1.

City College of San Francisco vs. Foothill College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of San Francisco or Foothill 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 City College of San Francisco than Foothill College ($9,616 vs. $10,805).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Foothill College are 22.7% lower than at City College of San Francisco ($20,793 vs. $26,907).
• City College of San Francisco is 8.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Foothill College (about $131 more per year; $1,696.00 vs. $1,565.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.4% higher at City College of San Francisco than at Foothill College (about $2,066 more per year; $14,656.00 vs. $12,590.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Foothill College than at City College of San Francisco (67% vs. 56%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by City College of San Francisco students is 73.3% larger than aid received by Foothill College students ($7,318 vs. $4,223).

City College of San Francisco vs. Foothill College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, City College of San Francisco or Foothill College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Foothill College and City College of San Francisco.

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

City College of San Francisco vs. Foothill College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for City College of San Francisco and Foothill College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Foothill College earn a median of about $18,400 more per year than City College of San Francisco graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,400 vs. $41,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, City College of San Francisco graduates have a $722 lower median loan debt than Foothill College graduates ($8,250 vs. $8,972).
• Among borrowers, City College of San Francisco graduates have an estimated $7 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Foothill College graduates ($85 vs. $92).
• More Foothill College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of San Francisco students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 39%)

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.