City College of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA 94112-1898
About City College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco is a public certificate and vocational school in San Francisco, California, with about 17,348 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Typical net price after grant aid is about $6,906 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $1,696. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $45,805 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- City College of San Francisco charges about 0.3× the national public median tuition ($1,696).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
- Average net price runs below the California median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 40.13%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $45,805.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at City College of San Francisco is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1558% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
City College of San Francisco awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 119 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| City College of San Francisco | $1,696 | $6,906 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| California (state median) | $8,093 | $8,343 | 287 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,200 | $20,053 | 1,346 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is City College of San Francisco really?
Key findings
- City College of San Francisco charges about 0.3× the national public median tuition ($1,696).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
- Average net price runs below the California median net price.
City College of San Francisco tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $1,696
Finding City College of San Francisco charges about 0.3× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $1,696. That is about 0.3× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the California median ($8,093), sticker tuition is about 0.2×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.1×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at City College of San Francisco versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at City College of San Francisco versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at City College of San Francisco is $6,906.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $6,906 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $1,437 below the California median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $13,147 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At City College of San Francisco, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
City College of San Francisco: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for City College of San Francisco—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$1,696
Out-of-state tuition
$14,656
Avg. net price
$6,906
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $6,121 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $5,756 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $8,139 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $12,508 |
| $110,001+ | $13,974 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $6,784. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What City College of San Francisco is known for
Top program completions
- Child Care Provider/Assistant844
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies748
- Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications192
- Biological and Physical Sciences160
- Business Administration and Management, General130
See earnings & programs for more.
Is City College of San Francisco a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
City College of San Francisco is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for City College of San Francisco.
Campus
Location
San Francisco, CA
City / state
- ZIP
- 94112-1898
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is about 0.3× the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Far West
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Traditional
Size
Enrollment
17,348
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 29,247
- Full-time share
- 30%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$8,218
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 16.70%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for City College of San Francisco.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at City College of San Francisco was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for City College of San Francisco in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $1,274 | $6,748 | $3,304 |
| 2014 | $1,290 | $7,246 | $3,731 |
| 2015 | $1,598 | $7,554 | $4,063 |
| 2016 | $1,598 | $9,010 | $4,014 |
| 2017 | $1,598 | $9,010 | $3,373 |
| 2018 | $1,696 | $10,372 | $3,168 |
| 2019 | $1,144 | $12,792 | $3,267 |
| 2020 | $1,165 | $8,317 | $6,382 |
| 2021 | $1,168 | $8,704 | $5,498 |
| 2022 | $1,696 | $12,244 | $6,613 |
| 2023 | $1,696 | $14,656 | $7,272 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
City College of San Francisco reported total enrollment of about 17,348 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 47% male and 53% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Asian (29.5%), Hispanic or Latino (26.7%), and White (23.9%). About 16.70% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 55.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
29.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at City College of San Francisco in 2024 is 17,348 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 29,247 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
69.6%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
9.81% 100% Completion Time
40.13% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 9.81% of students graduating from City College of San Francisco completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Child Care Provider/Assistant: 7% male / 93% female
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 40% male / 60% female
- Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications: 76% male / 24% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
City College of San Francisco graduates earn a median of $45,805 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of City College of San Francisco.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $45,805. Median federal loan debt: $8,218. Average net price used in cost models: $6,906.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway City College of San Francisco graduates report median earnings of $45,805 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for City College of San Francisco.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (119 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at City College of San Francisco.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for City College of San Francisco graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for City College of San Francisco—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 42.0%
- California median 2.6 pp above median (39.3%)
- Far West median 3.7 pp below median (45.7%)
- U.S. median 16.0 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $12,595
- California median 1.2× the median ($10,166)
- Far West median 1.3× the median ($9,635)
- U.S. median 1.7× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $9,893
- California median 1.5× the median ($6,474)
- Far West median 1.4× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
City College of San Francisco at a glance
City College of San Francisco
City College of San Francisco is a public institution in San Francisco, CA, classified as Associate's Colleges: Mixed Transfer/Vocational & Technical-High Traditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Child Care Provider/AssistantLiberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesComputer Systems Networking and Telecommunications
- Largest enrollment groups
- Asian29.5%Hispanic or Latino26.7%White or Caucasian23.9%
Schools near City College of San Francisco
Other campuses in San Francisco, CA when available, plus nearby institutions in California.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within California, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is City College of San Francisco located?
City College of San Francisco is located in San Francisco, CA.
What is City College of San Francisco's tuition?
City College of San Francisco tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $1,696 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $6,906 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does City College of San Francisco cost?
Reported tuition is $1,696 and average net price is $6,906 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $26,907 annually.
What explains City College of San Francisco's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($6,906), completion (40.1% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($45,805). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at City College of San Francisco?
City College of San Francisco reports undergraduate enrollment of about 29,247 students, Asian (29.5%), Hispanic or Latino (26.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend City College of San Francisco?
About 55.0% of students at City College of San Francisco are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of City College of San Francisco earn?
Median earnings are $34,896 six years after entry and $45,805 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at City College of San Francisco?
The 150%-time completion rate is 40.1% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do City College of San Francisco students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $8,218.
Is City College of San Francisco public or private?
City College of San Francisco is a public institution located in San Francisco, CA.
Is City College of San Francisco an HBCU?
No. City College of San Francisco is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is City College of San Francisco a tribal college?
No. City College of San Francisco is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- California college profile
- California college costs
- California colleges by ROI
- California trade schools profile
- San Francisco, California city profile
- Far West regional profile
- Urban (City) college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in California
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.