City College of San Francisco
- Graduation Rate
- 40% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $45,805 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $6,906 A-
- 60% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 17,348
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 47.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $47.7 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $47.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,290,276.
What The Data Says
-
A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 40% — 30% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $47.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why City College of San Francisco Matters
City College of San Francisco is a public college in San Francisco, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 17,348
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Health Professions, Computer Science & IT, Business & Marketing
Why students choose City College of San Francisco
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $6,906 a year after grants and scholarships — 60% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $45,805 ten years after enrolling — 12% above the typical college, against $8,218 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.47 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
City College of San Francisco has a net price of $6,906, making it one of the more affordable options in the Bay Area. This low cost is accessible for a sizable student body of 17,348, offering a range of programs from humanities to health professions.
Chetty/Opportunity Insights data is not available for mobility rates at City College of San Francisco. However, the graduation rate stands at 40%, which may indicate challenges in student retention and completion. Graduates earn an average of $45,805 after ten years, suggesting a moderate return on investment for those who do complete their degrees.
Students here thrive in diverse programs, especially in health professions and computer science. With a median debt of $8,218, graduates leave with manageable financial burdens. The college serves a mix of traditional and non-traditional students, providing a supportive environment for those looking to advance their education and career prospects.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective City College of San Francisco is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into City College of San Francisco? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
City College of San Francisco, located in San Francisco, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 40%.
- Retention Rate
- 70%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 42%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $12,595
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 20:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.78
- First-Gen Students
- 55%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend City College of San Francisco? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at City College of San Francisco is $14,656, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,906. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,121 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,218 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,696
- Out-of-State
- $14,656
- Avg Net Price
- $6,906
- Median Debt
- $8,218
- Pell Grant Rate
- 17%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 1%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $6,121
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $5,756
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $8,139
- Family Income $110K+
- $13,974
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at City College of San Francisco — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is City College of San Francisco Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of City College of San Francisco earn a median of $45,805, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $34,896
- 8 Years
- $41,474
- 10 Years
- $45,805
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.18x
- Earning > $25K
- 50%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (283)
- 21%
- 100% (283)
- 21%
- 100% (283)
- 21%
- 100% (283)
- 21%
How City Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is City College of San Francisco Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, City College of San Francisco delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $6,906/year ($27,624 total). Graduates earn $45,805 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,317,900 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,290,276 (47.7× your investment). The median debt is $8,218, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 40% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $27,624
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,317,900
- Net Return
- $1,290,276
- ROI Multiple
- 47.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $6,906
- Median Debt
- $8,218
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 40%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Top Programs
The fields City College of San Francisco awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 16%
- Health Professions 13% $110,065 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 8%
- Business & Marketing 7% $41,658 early-career
- Criminal Justice 5%
- Biology & Biomedical 4%
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 3%
- Visual & Performing Arts 3%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for City College of San Francisco's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into City College of San Francisco? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
City College of San Francisco, located in San Francisco, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 40%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend City College of San Francisco? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at City College of San Francisco is $14,656, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $6,906. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,121 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $8,218 in federal student loans.
Is City College of San Francisco Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of City College of San Francisco earn a median of $45,805, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
How Connected Is City College of San Francisco? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at City College of San Francisco. Its economic connectedness score is 1.47, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to City College of San Francisco.
- Orange Coast CollegeCosta Mesa, CA · Close peer46% grad $47,348 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa, CA · Close peer36% grad $47,224 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Palomar CollegeSan Marcos, CA · Close peer36% grad $42,300 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Wake Technical Community CollegeRaleigh, NC · Close peer32% grad $41,769 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Chabot CollegeHayward, CA · Close peer44% grad $48,143 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- College of Lake CountyGrayslake, IL · Close peer38% grad $43,424 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is City College of San Francisco? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at City College of San Francisco. Its economic connectedness score is 1.47, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note