City College of San Francisco vs. Orange Coast College

Comparable Facts

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

City College of San Francisco is larger than Orange Coast College based on total student enrollment (19,267 students vs. 17,096 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• City College of San Francisco is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); Orange Coast College is in Costa Mesa, CA (Midsize City setting).
• City College of San Francisco is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Orange Coast College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: City College of San Francisco 24:1; Orange Coast College 27:1.

City College of San Francisco vs. Orange Coast College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of San Francisco or Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College than City College of San Francisco ($9,116 vs. $9,616).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Orange Coast College are 28.8% lower than at City College of San Francisco ($19,159 vs. $26,907).
• City College of San Francisco is 21.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Orange Coast College (about $304 more per year; $1,696.00 vs. $1,392.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 25.9% higher at City College of San Francisco than at Orange Coast College (about $3,016 more per year; $14,656.00 vs. $11,640.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Orange Coast College than at City College of San Francisco (66% vs. 56%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by City College of San Francisco students is 33.2% larger than aid received by Orange Coast College students ($7,318 vs. $5,493).

City College of San Francisco vs. Orange Coast College Admissions comparison

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

City College of San Francisco vs. Orange Coast College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for City College of San Francisco and Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College earn a median of about $1,200 more per year than City College of San Francisco graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $41,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Orange Coast College graduates have a $1,750 lower median loan debt than City College of San Francisco graduates ($6,500 vs. $8,250).
• Among borrowers, Orange Coast College graduates have an estimated $18 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than City College of San Francisco graduates ($67 vs. $85).
• More Orange Coast College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of San Francisco students, three years after graduation. (51% 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.