City College of San Francisco vs. Merced College

Comparable Facts

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

City College of San Francisco is larger than Merced College based on total student enrollment (19,267 students vs. 12,472 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• City College of San Francisco is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); Merced College is in Merced, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• City College of San Francisco is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Merced College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: City College of San Francisco 24:1; Merced College 28:1.

City College of San Francisco vs. Merced College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of San Francisco or Merced 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 Merced College than City College of San Francisco ($6,854 vs. $9,616).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Merced College are 27.8% lower than at City College of San Francisco ($19,432 vs. $26,907).
• City College of San Francisco is 41.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Merced College (about $496 more per year; $1,696.00 vs. $1,200.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 72% higher at City College of San Francisco than at Merced College (about $6,136 more per year; $14,656.00 vs. $8,520.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Merced College than at City College of San Francisco (88% vs. 56%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Merced College students is 2.2% larger than aid received by City College of San Francisco students ($7,480 vs. $7,318).

City College of San Francisco vs. Merced College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, City College of San Francisco or Merced 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 Merced 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; Merced College - Open admission.

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

How do outcomes compare for City College of San Francisco and Merced 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 City College of San Francisco earn a median of about $10,700 more per year than Merced College graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,000 vs. $30,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.