San Diego City College vs. Sierra College

Comparable Facts

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

Sierra College is larger than San Diego City College based on total student enrollment (19,125 students vs. 13,242 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• San Diego City College is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); Sierra College is in Rocklin, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• San Diego City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sierra College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: San Diego City College 22:1; Sierra College 25:1.

San Diego City College vs. Sierra College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego City College or Sierra 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 San Diego City College than Sierra College ($10,040 vs. $10,285).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sierra College are 56.4% lower than at San Diego City College ($13,631 vs. $31,243).
• Sierra College is 26.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego City College (about $300 more per year; $1,446.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 591.7% higher at San Diego City College than at Sierra College (about $8,556 more per year; $10,002.00 vs. $1,446.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Diego City College than at Sierra College (87% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego City College students is 109.7% larger than aid received by Sierra College students ($10,500 vs. $5,006).

San Diego City College vs. Sierra College Admissions comparison

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

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

San Diego City College vs. Sierra College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for San Diego City College and Sierra 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 Sierra College earn a median of about $2,900 more per year than San Diego City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,100 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Sierra College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego City College students, three years after graduation. (32% vs. 30%)

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.