Sac City vs. Southwestern College

Comparable Facts

Compare Sacramento City College in Sacramento, CA with Southwestern College in Chula Vista, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Southwestern College is larger than Sac City based on total student enrollment (20,986 students vs. 19,920 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Sac City vs. Southwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Sac City or Southwestern 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 Southwestern College ($8,624 vs. $15,148).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacramento City College are 7.6% lower than at Southwestern College ($22,086 vs. $23,897).
• Southwestern College is 4.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sac City (about $56 more per year; $1,344.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 18.6% higher at Sac City than at Southwestern College (about $1,976 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $10,640.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacramento City College than at Southwestern College (90% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Southwestern College students is 10.2% larger than aid received by Sacramento City College students ($6,821 vs. $6,192).

Sac City vs. Southwestern College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Sac City or Southwestern 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 Southwestern 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; Southwestern College - Open admission.

Sac City vs. Southwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Sac City and Southwestern 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 Sacramento City College earn a median of about $4,900 more per year than Southwestern College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $34,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southwestern College graduates have a $6,000 lower median loan debt than Sac City graduates ($4,500 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, Southwestern College graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Sac City graduates ($46 vs. $108).
• More Southwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sac City students, three years after graduation. (36% 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.