Sacramento City College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Sacramento, California. It enrolls 17,657 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
69/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes42
Value79
Affordability49
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Sacramento City College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Sacramento City College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $6,614 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$6,614
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
26%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
5%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$1,288
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$12,616
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,086
Books & Supplies
$1,152
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,930
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,767
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$5,739
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,509
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,567
$75,001 – $110,000
$11,609
Over $110,000
$9,906
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,00010%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$10,500Medianpercentile
$14,00075%percentile
$26,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $9,404
↓ $1,096
No Pell $5,500
↓ $5,000
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $5,000
Independent students $9,500
↓ $1,000
Female students $9,222
↓ $1,278
Male students $9,299
↓ $1,201
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,000, close to what completers borrow ($10,500) but without the degree to show for it.
Graduation Rate & Retention
7% of full-time students who enrolled at Sacramento City College graduate within six years, and 69% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
7%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
69%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Sacramento City College earn a median of $42,214 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$42,214
Earning > $25K
65%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$39,200
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$43,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$38,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$46,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$56,600
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
19.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 65% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Sacramento City College is home to 17,657 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 51% are first-generation college students, 74% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
17,657
Part-Time
74%
First-Generation
51%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 32.6%5,761
White 26.4%4,665
Asian 18.9%3,337
Black 9.5%1,677
Other 9.0%1,589
International 0.3%53
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Sacramento City College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CitySacramento, California
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
38%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Sacramento City College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
79 distinct programs across
32 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Sacramento City College is 26:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
26:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$3,987
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$98,160
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
270 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Instructors
270
100%
$98,160
Pros & Cons of Sacramento City College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Sacramento City College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Sacramento City College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sacramento City College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Sacramento City College.
Is Sacramento City College hard to get into?
Sacramento City College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Sacramento City College?
Sacramento City College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Sacramento City College cost?
The average net price after aid at Sacramento City College is $6,614 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Sacramento City College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $42,214 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $6,614 per year. That's roughly 6.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Sacramento City College known for?
Sacramento City College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Sacramento City College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Sacramento City College are $42,214, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Sacramento City College accredited?
Yes. Sacramento City College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Sacramento City College?
Sacramento City College enrolls 17,657 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Sacramento City College?
Sacramento City College graduates 7% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Sacramento City College a public or private college?
Sacramento City College is a Public institution.
Where is Sacramento City College located?
Sacramento City College is located in Sacramento, California.
What programs does Sacramento City College offer?
Sacramento City College offers 79 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Sacramento City College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Sacramento City College is 26:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in California
Other colleges in California share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
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