San Diego City College
San Diego, CA, United States
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
Photo: JiriMatejicek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
San Diego City College has 17 programs with reported graduate earnings. The highest is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (associate), where graduates earn a median $113,244 four years after finishing, against $79,943 for the same field nationally.
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
Students who return for a second year
Median earnings
$44,127
Former students who received federal aid
Source: U.S. College Scorecard, field of study, 2025
Median earnings of graduates who received federal aid, one and four years after finishing, and the median federal loan debt they borrowed at San Diego City College. The field median is the middle value for the same field and credential across every college that reports it. 86 more programs have too few graduates for earnings to be published.
Highest-earning programs
| Program | Graduates | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | Field median | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 49 | N/A | $113,244 | $79,94342% above | N/A |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 40 | N/A | $77,094 | $50,34053% above | N/A |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 8 | N/A | $71,302 | $32,032123% above | N/A |
| Communication and Media Studies | 30 | N/A | $60,716 | $44,26937% above | N/A |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 15 | $52,406 | N/A | $40,65129% above | N/A |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 70 | $37,120 | $51,001 | $49,3233% above | N/A |
| Biology, General | 73 | $33,353 | $50,465 | $45,19412% above | N/A |
| Human Services, General | 43 | N/A | $44,787 | $42,0487% above | N/A |
| Design and Applied Arts | 42 | $43,786 | N/A | $33,58730% above | N/A |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 177 | $33,120 | $39,081 | $42,7749% below | N/A |
| Psychology, General | 85 | N/A | $37,754 | $38,9033% below | N/A |
| English Language and Literature, General | 17 | N/A | $28,005 | $34,86820% below | N/A |
| Program | Graduates | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | Field median | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | 72 | N/A | $63,359 | $39,93359% above | N/A |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 29 | N/A | $50,949 | $42,54920% above | N/A |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 111 | $35,032 | $44,078 | $44,0220% above | N/A |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other | 16 | N/A | $36,712 | $51,23628% below | N/A |
| Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | 46 | N/A | $22,671 | $25,0129% below | N/A |
Careers linked to the programs San Diego City College reports, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for the whole occupation, not for this college's graduates.
Healthcare practitioners
Master's degree
Via Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Business Administration, Management and Operations, Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Business Administration, Management and Operations, Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
Science
Master's degree
Via Psychology, General
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Computer and Information Sciences, General, Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications and 2 more
Science
Doctoral or professional degree
Via Astronomy and Astrophysics, Physics
Every field of study, with the colleges that offer it and what graduates earn.
Programs A–ZVerified facts
Free tools
San Bernardino Valley CollegeSan Bernardino, CAPremium Fit Report$29 once
Your quiz result turned into up to 10 best-fit colleges, with reach, target and likely groups, costs, earnings and an action plan.
Start with the quiz See a sample reportSimilar colleges
Bars show profile closeness out of 100: how near each college's graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control are to San Diego City College. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later card can score higher.
San Bernardino Valley College
San Bernardino, CA
Graduation rate 20%, close to 24%
Profile closeness81/100
College of the Desert
Palm Desert, CA
Graduation rate 29%, close to 24%
Profile closeness79/100
Coastline Community College
Fountain Valley, CA
Graduation rate 25%, close to 24%
Profile closeness78/100
Moreno Valley College
Moreno Valley, CA
Graduation rate 22%, close to 24%
Profile closeness76/100
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles, CA
Graduation rate 24%, close to 24%
Profile closeness75/100
San Diego Miramar College
San Diego, CA
Enrollment 11,271 students, close to 10,441
Profile closeness74/100
San Jose City College
San Jose, CA
Graduation rate 29%, close to 24%
Profile closeness73/100
Cabrillo College
Aptos, CA
Enrollment 8,002 students, close to 10,441
Profile closeness72/100
Save it to your Backpack and compare it with the other schools you are considering.
Add colleges to your Backpack as you research.
Line up cost, admit rate, and outcomes side by side.
Email your Backpack to a parent or counselor.
