Cuesta College vs. San Diego City College

Should I go to Cuesta College or San Diego City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cuesta College or San Diego 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.

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Cuesta College vs. San Diego City College comparison
Cuesta College San Diego City College College 3 College 4
San Diego City College
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Overview

Cuesta College San Diego City College
Location San Luis Obispo, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 10,437 13,197
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuesta.edu sdcity.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cuesta College San Diego City College
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $10,948 $9,048
Room & Board $19,431 $30,736
Avg Net Price $15,899 $1,970
Avg Grant Aid $4,347 $10,979
% Receiving Grant Aid 76% 87%

Admission

Cuesta College San Diego 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 San Diego City College
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (24%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Construction Trades (11%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Business (5%)

Outcomes

Cuesta College San Diego City College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,800 $33,200
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,250 $4,500
Median Loan Payment $116 $46

Diversity

Cuesta College San Diego City College
% Men 18% 9%
% Women 16% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 24%
% Black 2% 10%
% Hispanic 27% 49%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Cuesta College San Diego City College
% In-State 93% 98%
% Out-of-State 0% 1%

Campus

Cuesta College San Diego 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

  • San Diego City College is larger than than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (13,197 students vs. 10,437 students)

Cuesta College vs. San Diego City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or San Diego City College?

  • Cuesta College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than San Diego City College for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21% higher at Cuesta College than San Diego City College ($10,948.00 vs. $9,048.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at San Diego City College than Cuesta College ($1,970 vs. $15,899)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cuesta College are 58.2% lower than costs at San Diego City College ($19,431 vs. $30,736)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Diego City College than Cuesta College (87% vs. 76%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego City College students is 152.6% larger than aid received Cuesta College ($10,979 vs. $4,347)

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

Cuesta College vs. San Diego City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cuesta College or San Diego 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 San Diego City College and Cuesta College.

  • Graduates from Cuesta College earn on average $7,600 more per year than San Diego City College graduates after ten years. ($40,800 vs. $33,200)
  • San Diego City College students graduate with a $6,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Cuesta College graduates. ($4,500 vs. $11,250)
  • San Diego City College graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Cuesta College graduates. ($46 vs. $116)
  • More Cuesta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego City College students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 30%)

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