San Diego City College vs. Southwestern College

Comparable Facts

Compare San Diego City College in San Diego, 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 San Diego City College based on total student enrollment (20,986 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); Southwestern College is in Chula Vista, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• San Diego City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Southwestern College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: San Diego City College 22:1; Southwestern College 26:1.

San Diego City College vs. Southwestern College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego City College 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 San Diego City College than Southwestern College ($10,040 vs. $15,148).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwestern College are 23.5% lower than at San Diego City College ($23,897 vs. $31,243).
• Southwestern College is 17.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego City College (about $198 more per year; $1,344.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 6.4% higher at Southwestern College than at San Diego City College (about $638 more per year; $10,640.00 vs. $10,002.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Diego City College than at Southwestern College (87% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego City College students is 53.9% larger than aid received by Southwestern College students ($10,500 vs. $6,821).

San Diego City College vs. Southwestern College Admissions comparison

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

San Diego City College vs. Southwestern College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for San Diego City College 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 Southwestern College earn a median of about $900 more per year than San Diego City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,100 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Southwestern College and San Diego City College graduates have the same median loan debt ($4,500 vs. $4,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Southwestern College and San Diego City College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($46 vs. $46).
• More Southwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego City College students, three years after graduation. (36% 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.