Butte College vs. Golden West College

Comparable Facts

Compare Butte College in Oroville, CA with Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Butte College is larger than Golden West College based on total student enrollment (10,968 students vs. 10,721 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); Golden West College is in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; Golden West College 29:1.

Butte College vs. Golden West College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College or Golden West 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 Golden West College than Butte College ($6,681 vs. $9,112).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 24.4% lower than at Golden West College ($17,894 vs. $23,659).
• Golden West College is 1.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Butte College (about $24 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,356.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 25.4% higher at Golden West College than at Butte College (about $2,352 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at Golden West College (88% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 2.6% larger than aid received by Butte College students ($6,849 vs. $6,677).

Butte College vs. Golden West College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte College or Golden West 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 Golden West 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; Golden West College - Open admission.

Butte College vs. Golden West College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and Golden West 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 Golden West College earn a median of about $600 more per year than Butte College graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,000 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Golden West College graduates have a $8,494 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($5,484 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, Golden West College graduates have an estimated $88 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($56 vs. $144).
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Butte College students, three years after graduation. (53% 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.