Butte College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College

Comparable Facts

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

Butte College is larger than Los Angeles Southwest College based on total student enrollment (10,968 students vs. 5,371 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); Los Angeles Southwest College is in Los Angeles, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Los Angeles Southwest College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; Los Angeles Southwest College 22:1.

Butte College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College or Los Angeles Southwest 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 Los Angeles Southwest College than Butte College ($6,361 vs. $9,112).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 29.6% lower than at Los Angeles Southwest College ($17,894 vs. $25,407).
• Butte College is 9.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Los Angeles Southwest College (about $118 more per year; $1,356.00 vs. $1,238.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 14% higher at Los Angeles Southwest College than at Butte College (about $1,296 more per year; $10,572.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at Los Angeles Southwest College (88% vs. 86%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Butte College students is 0.8% larger than aid received by Los Angeles Southwest College students ($6,677 vs. $6,622).

Butte College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte College or Los Angeles Southwest 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 Los Angeles Southwest 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; Los Angeles Southwest College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Los Angeles Southwest College Sep 12, 2026.

Butte College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and Los Angeles Southwest 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 Butte College earn a median of about $7,200 more per year than Los Angeles Southwest College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,400 vs. $29,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Los Angeles Southwest College graduates have a $9,478 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($4,500 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, Los Angeles Southwest College graduates have an estimated $98 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($46 vs. $144).
• More Butte College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Los Angeles Southwest College students, three years after graduation. (32% vs. 21%)

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.