Merritt College vs. Sac City

Comparable Facts

Compare Merritt College in Oakland, 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 Merritt College based on total student enrollment (19,920 students vs. 7,022 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Merritt College is located in Oakland, CA (Large City setting); Sacramento City College is in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting).
• Merritt College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sacramento City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Merritt College 33:1; Sacramento City College 26:1.

Merritt College vs. Sac City Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Merritt 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 Merritt College ($8,624 vs. $15,581).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacramento City College are 3.2% lower than at Merritt College ($22,086 vs. $22,820).
• Sacramento City College is 2.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Merritt College (about $30 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,258.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 27.5% higher at Sac City than at Merritt College (about $2,718 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacramento City College than at Merritt College (90% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacramento City College students is 24.5% larger than aid received by Merritt College students ($6,192 vs. $4,972).

Merritt College vs. Sac City Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Merritt 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 Merritt College.

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

Merritt College vs. Sac City Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Merritt 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 Merritt College earn a median of about $800 more per year than Sac City graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,800 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Sacramento City College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Merritt College graduates ($10,500 vs. $11,500).
• Among borrowers, Sac City graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Merritt College graduates ($108 vs. $118).
• More Sac City graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Merritt College students, three years after graduation. (29% vs. 27%)

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.