Butte College vs. Foothill College

Comparable Facts

Compare Butte College in Oroville, CA with Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Foothill College is larger than Butte College based on total student enrollment (12,949 students vs. 10,968 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); Foothill College is in Los Altos Hills, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Foothill College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; Foothill College 26:1.

Butte College vs. Foothill College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College or Foothill College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Butte College than Foothill College ($9,112 vs. $10,805).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 13.9% lower than at Foothill College ($17,894 vs. $20,793).
• Foothill College is 15.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Butte College (about $209 more per year; $1,565.00 vs. $1,356.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 35.7% higher at Foothill College than at Butte College (about $3,314 more per year; $12,590.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at Foothill College (88% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Butte College students is 58.1% larger than aid received by Foothill College students ($6,677 vs. $4,223).

Butte College vs. Foothill College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte College or Foothill College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Foothill College and Butte College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Butte College - Open admission; Foothill College - Open admission.

Butte College vs. Foothill College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and Foothill College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Foothill College earn a median of about $23,000 more per year than Butte College graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,400 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Foothill College graduates have a $5,006 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($8,972 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, Foothill College graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($92 vs. $144).
• More Foothill College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Butte College students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 32%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.