San Diego City College
A good fit for families who need the lowest possible cost and in-state California residents. graduation rate is below 40%. a public school with 10,441 students.
About This School
San Diego City College is a public institution located in San Diego, California with approximately 10,441 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $7,935 per year. The graduation rate is 28%, and the typical graduate earns $34,700 within 10 years of enrollment.
San Diego City College is a public community college in San Diego, California. It is part of San Diego Community College District and the California Community Colleges system. The college is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).
This is a strong option for students looking to minimize debt while completing lower-division coursework or earning a career-focused credential — graduates leave with just $7,689 in median debt, which is genuinely low. The concern worth noting is that median earnings sit at $34,700 a decade after enrollment, which is modest and suggests many students may be transferring to four-year schools (where their long-term earnings picture changes) rather than entering the workforce directly from City College. If your goal is an affordable transfer pathway to a UC or CSU, this makes a lot of sense — if you're planning to stop at an associate's degree, go in with clear eyes about the salary ceiling.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 12% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
San Diego City College graduates earn most above the national rate in Fine and Studio Arts ($71,302 vs $31,650 nationally), and most below it in English Language and Literature, General ($28,005 vs $36,134).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 176 | $39,081 | $44,125 | −$5,044 |
| Psychology, General | 96 | $37,754 | $39,288 | −$1,534 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 81 | $51,001 | $48,733 | +$2,268 |
| Biology, General | 76 | $50,465 | $44,758 | +$5,707 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 47 | $113,244 | $80,813 | +$32,431 |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 46 | $77,094 | $50,181 | +$26,913 |
| Human Services, General | 31 | $44,787 | $39,422 | +$5,365 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 22 | $28,005 | $36,134 | −$8,129 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 17 | $60,716 | $43,243 | +$17,473 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 12 | $71,302 | $31,650 | +$39,652 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing an associate's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Strong return. Graduates earn well above their debt load.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (10,441 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
San Diego City College is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does San Diego City College cost?
The average net price at San Diego City College is about $7,935 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at San Diego City College?
San Diego City College has a graduation rate of 28%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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