Public Bachelor's Strong 76/100

Solano Community College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Fairfield, California

About Solano Community College

Thinking about Solano Community College, a college in California where more students graduate in Interdisciplinary Studies than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Solano Community College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Fairfield, California. It enrolls 8,061 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
6.6%
Net Price
$4,669
Median Earnings (10yr)
$44,170
Enrollment
8,061
Student : Faculty
27:1

Accreditor Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Strong
76/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 48
Value 94
Affordability 55
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Solano Community College does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $4,669 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$4,669
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
23%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
2%
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)
$1,172
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$9,812
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,086
Books & Supplies
$1,062
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,930
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,143

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
    $3,624
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $3,465
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $5,904
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $8,594
  • Over $110,000
    $6,228

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.

$2,000
10% percentile
$3,500
25% percentile
$12,000
Median percentile
$12,707
75% percentile
$20,875
90% 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 $10,125 ↓ $1,875
No Pell $5,250 ↓ $6,750
Dependent students $5,500 ↓ $6,500
Independent students $10,500 ↓ $1,500
Female students $9,500 ↓ $2,500
Male students $9,303 ↓ $2,697
Pell recipients: 20.2% (2,421 students)No Pell: 10.5% (1,256 students)Dependent students: 11.0% (1,315 students)Independent students: 20.9% (2,511 students)Female students: 18.9% (2,272 students)Male students: 18.5% (2,225 students)Overall Median$12,000
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, close to what completers borrow ($12,000) but without the degree to show for it.

Graduation Rate & Retention

7% of students who start here finish within six years. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
7%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
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

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $44,170 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,170
Earning > $25K
66%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$34,000$37,000$40,000$43,000$46,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

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
$36,800

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$47,200

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $10,400, about 22% 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 ↑ 36.5 pts across 6 years
34.9%1yr56.8%3yr54.7%5yr71.4%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 71% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 8,061 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 48% are the first in their family to go to college, and 65% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
8,061
Part-Time
65%
First-Generation
48%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 38.2% 3,075
White 21.0% 1,693
Asian 14.6% 1,179
Black 14.1% 1,139
Other 9.7% 785
International 0.1% 9
Hispanic: 38.2% (3,075 students)White: 21.0% (1,693 students)Asian: 14.6% (1,179 students)Black: 14.1% (1,139 students)Other: 9.7% (785 students)International: 0.1% (9 students)Total8,061

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Solano Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Midsize Suburb Fairfield, California
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
35% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Liberal Arts graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Solano Community College offers an extensive catalog of programs: 57 distinct programs across 27 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.

2 Programs
2 Programs
6 Programs
2 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 27 students for every instructor here: high, so expect big lectures and to work harder for one-to-one time.

Student : Faculty
27:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,279
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$99,971
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

130 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 130 100% $99,971

Pros & Cons of Solano Community College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Solano Community College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Very affordable net price after aid
  • 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
  • Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
  • No graduate programs offered at this institution
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, Solano Community College is a fit for families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.

Frequently Asked Questions about Solano Community College

The questions families ask most about Solano Community College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

How much does Solano Community College cost?
Budget around $4,669 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Solano Community College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $44,170 a year against a net price of $4,669, about 9.5 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Solano Community College known for?
Mostly Biological and Physical Sciences, Liberal Arts, Biological and Biomedical Sciences. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Solano Community College graduates earn?
About $44,170 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Solano Community College accredited?
Yes. Solano Community College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Solano Community College?
8,061 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Solano Community College?
7% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Solano Community College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Solano Community College located?
Solano Community College is located in Fairfield, California.
What programs does Solano Community College offer?
57 different programs, most commonly Biological and Physical Sciences, Liberal Arts, Biological and Biomedical Sciences. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Solano Community College?
27 students per instructor. On the high side, so expect big classes and to seek out contact time yourself. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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