City College of San Francisco vs. SBCC

Comparable Facts

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

City College of San Francisco is larger than SBCC based on total student enrollment (19,267 students vs. 12,334 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

City College of San Francisco vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of San Francisco or SBCC? 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 SBCC ($9,616 vs. $14,186).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 17.9% lower than at City College of San Francisco ($22,086 vs. $26,907).
• City College of San Francisco is 36.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than SBCC (about $456 more per year; $1,696.00 vs. $1,240.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 40.5% higher at City College of San Francisco than at Santa Barbara City College (about $4,224 more per year; $14,656.00 vs. $10,432.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at City College of San Francisco than at Santa Barbara City College (56% vs. 41%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by City College of San Francisco students is 24.3% larger than aid received by Santa Barbara City College students ($7,318 vs. $5,889).

City College of San Francisco vs. SBCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, City College of San Francisco or SBCC? 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 SBCC 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; SBCC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SBCC Aug 19, 2027.

City College of San Francisco vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for City College of San Francisco and SBCC? 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 $600 more per year than SBCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,000 vs. $40,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, City College of San Francisco graduates have a $1,250 lower median loan debt than SBCC graduates ($8,250 vs. $9,500).
• Among borrowers, City College of San Francisco graduates have an estimated $13 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SBCC graduates ($85 vs. $98).
• More City College of San Francisco graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SBCC students, three years after graduation. (39% 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.