City College of San Francisco vs. SAC

Comparable Facts

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

Santa Ana College is larger than City College of San Francisco based on total student enrollment (27,248 students vs. 19,267 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• City College of San Francisco is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); Santa Ana College is in Santa Ana, CA (Large City setting).
• City College of San Francisco is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Ana College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: City College of San Francisco 24:1; Santa Ana College 33:1.

City College of San Francisco vs. SAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of San Francisco or SAC? 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 Santa Ana College than City College of San Francisco ($5,894 vs. $9,616).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Ana College are 17.8% lower than at City College of San Francisco ($22,126 vs. $26,907).
• City College of San Francisco is 43.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than SAC (about $516 more per year; $1,696.00 vs. $1,180.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 36.3% higher at City College of San Francisco than at Santa Ana College (about $3,900 more per year; $14,656.00 vs. $10,756.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Ana College than at City College of San Francisco (89% vs. 56%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by City College of San Francisco students is 8.1% larger than aid received by Santa Ana College students ($7,318 vs. $6,768).

City College of San Francisco vs. SAC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, City College of San Francisco or SAC? 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 SAC 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; SAC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SAC Apr 1, 2027.

City College of San Francisco vs. SAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for City College of San Francisco and SAC? 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 City College of San Francisco earn a median of about $3,500 more per year than SAC graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,000 vs. $37,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Ana College graduates have a $750 lower median loan debt than City College of San Francisco graduates ($7,500 vs. $8,250).
• Among borrowers, SAC graduates have an estimated $8 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than City College of San Francisco graduates ($77 vs. $85).
• More SAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of San Francisco students, three years after graduation. (47% 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.