City College of San Francisco vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

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

City College of San Francisco is larger than San Diego Mesa College based on total student enrollment (19,267 students vs. 19,212 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• City College of San Francisco is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); San Diego Mesa College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• City College of San Francisco is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego Mesa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: City College of San Francisco 24:1; San Diego Mesa College 23:1.

City College of San Francisco vs. San Diego Mesa College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of San Francisco or San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College ($9,616 vs. $10,316).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at City College of San Francisco are 13.9% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($26,907 vs. $31,243).
• City College of San Francisco is 48% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego Mesa College (about $550 more per year; $1,696.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 46.5% higher at City College of San Francisco than at San Diego Mesa College (about $4,654 more per year; $14,656.00 vs. $10,002.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Diego Mesa College than at City College of San Francisco (79% vs. 56%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego Mesa College students is 12.8% larger than aid received by City College of San Francisco students ($8,252 vs. $7,318).

City College of San Francisco vs. San Diego Mesa College Admissions comparison

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

City College of San Francisco vs. San Diego Mesa College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for City College of San Francisco and San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College earn a median of about $600 more per year than City College of San Francisco graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 vs. $41,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have a $3,750 lower median loan debt than City College of San Francisco graduates ($4,500 vs. $8,250).
• Among borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have an estimated $39 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than City College of San Francisco graduates ($46 vs. $85).
• More San Diego Mesa College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of San Francisco students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.