Cuesta College vs. Pasadena City College

Should I go to Cuesta College or Pasadena City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cuesta College or Pasadena City College is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

GCC SMC Mt. SAC East Los Angeles College Citrus College Allan Hancock College RHC Cerritos College Pierce College De Anza College Los Angeles City College Orange Coast College
Cuesta College vs. Pasadena City College comparison
Cuesta College Pasadena City College College 3 College 4
Pasadena City College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Cuesta College Pasadena City College
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Pasadena, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 9,908 21,923
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuesta.edu pasadena.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cuesta College Pasadena City College
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $9,296 $9,504
Room & Board $17,784 $17,784
Avg Net Price $14,507 $4,420
Avg Grant Aid $4,559 $6,275
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 80%

Admission

 Cuesta College Pasadena City College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 13, 2025

Academics

 Cuesta College Pasadena City College
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)
  • General Studies (60%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (20%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (2%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)

Outcomes

 Cuesta College Pasadena City College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,800 $37,900
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 36%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,250 $5,500
Median Loan Payment $116 $56

Diversity

 Cuesta College Pasadena City College
% Men 49% 46%
% Women 51% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 7%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 27% 50%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 11%
% International 0% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Cuesta College Pasadena City College
% In-State 95% 95%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 Cuesta College Pasadena City College
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Pasadena City College is larger than than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (21,923 students vs. 9,908 students)

Cuesta College vs. Pasadena City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or Pasadena City College?

  • Cuesta College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than Pasadena City College for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.2% higher at Pasadena City College than Cuesta College ($9,504.00 vs. $9,296.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Pasadena City College than Cuesta College ($4,420 vs. $14,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pasadena City College are 0% lower than costs at Cuesta College ($17,784 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cuesta College than Pasadena City College (86% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Pasadena City College students is 37.6% larger than aid received Cuesta College ($6,275 vs. $4,559)

Which college is harder to get into, Cuesta College or Pasadena City College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Pasadena City College or Cuesta College .

Cuesta College vs. Pasadena City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cuesta College or Pasadena City College? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Pasadena City College and Cuesta College.

  • Graduates from Cuesta College earn on average $2,900 more per year than Pasadena City College graduates after ten years. ($40,800 vs. $37,900)
  • Pasadena City College students graduate with a $5,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Cuesta College graduates. ($5,500 vs. $11,250)
  • Pasadena City College graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Cuesta College graduates. ($56 vs. $116)
  • More Cuesta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pasadena City College students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 36%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/