Southwestern College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Chula Vista, California. It enrolls 18,614 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
63/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes51
Value43
Affordability45
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Southwestern 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 Southwestern 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 $12,671 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$12,671
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
36%
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)
$1,344
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$10,640
Room & Board (off-campus)
$23,897
Books & Supplies
$1,210
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,480
Total Cost of Attendance
$22,104
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
$11,380
$30,001 – $48,000
$11,634
$48,001 – $75,000
$14,332
$75,001 – $110,000
$18,484
Over $110,000
$20,045
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.
$1,75010%percentile
$2,45825%percentile
$4,500Medianpercentile
$5,93475%percentile
$10,50090%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 $4,500
—
No Pell $3,500
↓ $1,000
Dependent students $3,500
↓ $1,000
Independent students $4,500
—
Female students $4,500
—
Male students $3,500
↓ $1,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $3,865, close to what completers borrow ($4,500) but without the degree to show for it.
Graduation Rate & Retention
4% of full-time students who enrolled at Southwestern College graduate within six years, and 73% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
4%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
73%
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 Southwestern College earn a median of $40,060 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$40,060
Earning > $25K
63%
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
$30,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$40,200
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,400, about 23% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
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 ↑
24.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 74% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Southwestern College is home to 18,614 students, a sprawling student community. Some distinctive traits: 57% are first-generation college students, 57% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
18,614
Part-Time
57%
First-Generation
57%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 64.0%11,906
White 13.6%2,535
Asian 9.5%1,766
Black 5.2%962
Other 4.1%759
International 0.3%61
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Southwestern College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityChula Vista, California
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
32%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Southwestern College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
78 distinct programs across
29 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 Southwestern College is 25:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
25:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,020
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$2.7M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$102,528
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
209 instructional faculty across 2 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
Full Professors
153
73%
$109,858
Assistant Professors
56
27%
$82,503
Pros & Cons of Southwestern College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Southwestern College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
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
Modest first-year retention
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Southwestern College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Southwestern College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Southwestern College.
Is Southwestern College hard to get into?
Southwestern College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Southwestern College?
Southwestern College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Southwestern College cost?
The average net price after aid at Southwestern College is $12,671 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Southwestern College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $40,060 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $12,671 per year. That's roughly 3.2x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Southwestern College known for?
Southwestern 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 Southwestern College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Southwestern College are $40,060, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Southwestern College accredited?
Yes. Southwestern College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Southwestern College?
Southwestern College enrolls 18,614 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Southwestern College?
Southwestern College graduates 4% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Southwestern College a public or private college?
Southwestern College is a Public institution.
Where is Southwestern College located?
Southwestern College is located in Chula Vista, California.
What programs does Southwestern College offer?
Southwestern College offers 78 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Southwestern College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Southwestern College is 25:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in California
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