ECC vs. San Diego City College

Comparable Facts

Compare El Camino Community College District in Torrance, CA with San Diego City College in San Diego, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

El Camino Community College District is larger than San Diego City College based on total student enrollment (21,664 students vs. 13,242 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• El Camino Community College District is located in Torrance, CA (Large Suburban setting); San Diego City College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• El Camino Community College District is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: El Camino Community College District 28:1; San Diego City College 22:1.

ECC vs. San Diego City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or San Diego City College? 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 El Camino Community College District than San Diego City College ($8,837 vs. $10,040).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at El Camino Community College District are 37.8% lower than at San Diego City College ($19,431 vs. $31,243).
• San Diego City College is 0.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $2 more per year; $1,146.00 vs. $1,144.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 31.1% higher at San Diego City College than at El Camino Community College District (about $2,372 more per year; $10,002.00 vs. $7,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Diego City College than at El Camino Community College District (87% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego City College students is 52.3% larger than aid received by El Camino Community College District students ($10,500 vs. $6,896).

ECC vs. San Diego City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECC or San Diego City College? 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 San Diego City College and ECC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ECC - Open admission; San Diego City College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: ECC Aug 27, 2027.

ECC vs. San Diego City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and San Diego City College? 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 El Camino Community College District earn a median of about $3,200 more per year than San Diego City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,400 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More San Diego City College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 25%)

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.