Admit rate has ranged 50%–63% over the last 4 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
San Diego Christian College is a tiny, Christ-centered liberal arts college in suburban Santee with an intimate 11:1 student-faculty ratio and a focus on integrating faith across its 19 undergraduate majors. With acceptance rates fluctuating wildly between 30-63% across sources and a four-year graduation rate of just 16%, SDCC serves a niche of students seeking a tightly knit, biblically grounded education—though its academic outcomes lag behind national averages.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2021) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
87
In-state tuition
$28,012
Out-of-state tuition
$28,012
Location
Santee, CA
Acceptance Rate
30.8-62.8% (varies by source)
Most Popular Majors
Business, Education, Psychology
Student-Faculty Ratio
11:1
4-Year Graduation Rate
16%
Median Early Career Salary
$36,427
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$49,766
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
50.2×
Median debt at graduation
$24,941
Graduation rate
20%
First-year retention
86%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
45%
Pell (lower-income) share
67%
First-generation share
41%
Endowment / student
$7,983
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Business Administration, Management and Operations$29,685
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
0
Per 1,000 students
0.00
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
228
Summer high
85°F
Winter low
47°F
Annual rain
21.5"
Natural-hazard risk
Very High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
15
Scholarly works
82
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at San Diego Christian College?
San Diego Christian College's acceptance rate is approximately 31% (Santee, CA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does San Diego Christian College cost?
At San Diego Christian College, the average net price (after aid) is about $992 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend San Diego Christian College?
San Diego Christian College enrolls approximately 87 undergraduate students.
Where is San Diego Christian College located?
San Diego Christian College is located in Santee, CA.
Admissions
San Diego Christian College's admissions landscape is perplexingly variable—reported Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. range from 30.8% (Data USA) to 62.8% (PrepScholar), with US News settling at 31% and Niche at 49.67%. The college considers both SAT and ACT scores (minimum 19 composite ACT), though test-flexibility policies suggest academic metrics aren't the sole deciding factor. With only 93 undergraduate students enrolled as of Fall 2023, SDCC is among the smallest Christian colleges in California, creating a highly selective environment despite its modest applicant pool.
SDCC offers just 19 degree programs, with business (14 graduates), high school education (7), and psychology (7) being the most popular according to Niche data. The curriculum is explicitly Christ-centered, with even secular subjects like marketing and kinesiology framed through a biblical lens. Students benefit from an exceptionally low 11:1 student-faculty ratio, though the limited program breadth means those seeking specialized fields must look elsewhere. The college has expanded into online education with six bachelor's degrees, including business management and Christian ministries.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Notable academic aspects:
All programs integrate faith-based learning
19 residential undergraduate majors with customizable concentrations
6 fully online bachelor's degree options
Associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees offered
With only 93 undergraduates (nearly evenly split between genders at 50.5% male, 49.5% female), SDCC operates more like an extended family than a traditional college. Campus life revolves around Christian fellowship, with the Student Affairs office actively creating connection opportunities. The suburban Santee location offers proximity to San Diego's attractions while maintaining a quiet, community-focused environment. Housing costs average $12,520 annually—a significant portion of the total cost for this residential college.
SDCC struggles with retention and graduation metrics—just 16% graduate in four years (US News), rising marginally to 24-28% overall according to other sources. Alumni earn a median $36,427 one year post-graduation (Niche), slightly below the national average for bachelor's recipients. These outcomes suggest students should carefully consider their career goals when choosing this faith-based education, particularly given the college's limited name recognition outside evangelical circles.
At $27,528 annual tuition before room/board, SDCC is priced similarly to many private Christian colleges. The average Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. after aid drops to $26,979 (BigFuture), with institutional grants averaging $12,500 (Niche). Financial aid packages frequently combine federal grants ($8,895 average), state grants ($9,358), and institutional support. However, the college's low graduation rates mean students should carefully calculate the likely return on investment.
San Diego Christian College stands out for its radical commitment to small-scale, personalized Christian education—the 11:1 faculty ratio means students get attention impossible at larger institutions. Its strength lies in creating a tight-knit spiritual community rather than academic prestige or career outcomes. For evangelical students seeking immersive biblical integration across all subjects and lifelong church connections, SDCC delivers an experience few California colleges can match. But its microscopic size and struggling graduation rates make it a risky choice for those prioritizing academic rigor or secular career preparation.
San Diego Christian College logo · sourceSan Diego Christian College - Wikipedia · sourceSan Diego Christian College - Profile, Rankings and Data | US News Best Colleges · sourceHawks on the move… to Mt. Helix campus – East County Sports · source
