College of Alameda vs. City College of San Francisco

Comparable Facts

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

City College of San Francisco is larger than College of Alameda based on total student enrollment (19,267 students vs. 6,141 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of Alameda is located in Alameda, CA (Large Suburban setting); City College of San Francisco is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• College of Alameda is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. City College of San Francisco is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of Alameda 38:1; City College of San Francisco 24:1.

College of Alameda vs. City College of San Francisco Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of Alameda or City College of San Francisco? 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 College of Alameda ($9,616 vs. $12,506).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Alameda are 15.2% lower than at City College of San Francisco ($22,820 vs. $26,907).
• City College of San Francisco is 34.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of Alameda (about $438 more per year; $1,696.00 vs. $1,258.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 48.1% higher at City College of San Francisco than at College of Alameda (about $4,758 more per year; $14,656.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of Alameda than at City College of San Francisco (86% vs. 56%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by City College of San Francisco students is 35.9% larger than aid received by College of Alameda students ($7,318 vs. $5,385).

College of Alameda vs. City College of San Francisco Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of Alameda or City College of San Francisco? 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 City College of San Francisco and College of Alameda.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: College of Alameda - Open admission; City College of San Francisco - Open admission.

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

How do outcomes compare for College of Alameda and City College of San Francisco? 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 $4,300 more per year than College of Alameda graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,000 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More City College of San Francisco graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of Alameda students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 30%)

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.