Sac City vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

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

Sacramento City College is larger than San Diego Mesa College based on total student enrollment (19,920 students vs. 19,212 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Sacramento City College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting); San Diego Mesa College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• Sacramento City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego Mesa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sacramento City College 26:1; San Diego Mesa College 23:1.

Sac City vs. San Diego Mesa College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sac City or San Diego Mesa 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 Sacramento City College than San Diego Mesa College ($8,624 vs. $10,316).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacramento City College are 29.3% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($22,086 vs. $31,243).
• Sacramento City College is 12.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego Mesa College (about $142 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 26.1% higher at Sac City than at San Diego Mesa College (about $2,614 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,002.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacramento City College than at San Diego Mesa College (90% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego Mesa College students is 33.3% larger than aid received by Sacramento City College students ($8,252 vs. $6,192).

Sac City vs. San Diego Mesa College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Sac City or San Diego Mesa 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 Mesa College and Sac City.

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

Sac City vs. San Diego Mesa College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Sac City and San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College earn a median of about $2,600 more per year than Sac City graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have a $6,000 lower median loan debt than Sac City graduates ($4,500 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Sac City graduates ($46 vs. $108).
• More San Diego Mesa College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sac City students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.