Cuesta College vs. Sac City

Comparable Facts

Compare Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, CA with Sacramento City College in Sacramento, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sacramento City College is larger than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (19,920 students vs. 11,283 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cuesta College is located in San Luis Obispo, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Sacramento City College is in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting).
• Cuesta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sacramento City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cuesta College 27:1; Sacramento City College 26:1.

Cuesta College vs. Sac City Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or Sac City? 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 Sacramento City College than Cuesta College ($8,624 vs. $16,541).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Cuesta College and Sac City ($22,086).
• Cuesta College is 4.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sac City (about $62 more per year; $1,350.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 14.6% higher at Sac City than at Cuesta College (about $1,606 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $11,010.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacramento City College than at Cuesta College (90% vs. 75%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacramento City College students is 49.5% larger than aid received by Cuesta College students ($6,192 vs. $4,143).

Cuesta College vs. Sac City Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cuesta College or Sac City? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Sac City and Cuesta College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cuesta College - Open admission; Sac City - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cuesta College Aug 13, 2027.

Cuesta College vs. Sac City Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cuesta College and Sac City? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Cuesta College earn a median of about $1,800 more per year than Sac City graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,800 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacramento City College graduates have a $750 lower median loan debt than Cuesta College graduates ($10,500 vs. $11,250).
• Among borrowers, Sac City graduates have an estimated $8 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cuesta College graduates ($108 vs. $116).
• More Cuesta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sac City students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 29%)

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.