Butte College vs. Orange Coast College

Comparable Facts

Compare Butte College in Oroville, CA with Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Orange Coast College is larger than Butte College based on total student enrollment (17,096 students vs. 10,968 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); Orange Coast College is in Costa Mesa, CA (Midsize City setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Orange Coast College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; Orange Coast College 27:1.

Butte College vs. Orange Coast College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College or Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College ($9,112 vs. $9,116).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 6.6% lower than at Orange Coast College ($17,894 vs. $19,159).
• Orange Coast College is 2.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Butte College (about $36 more per year; $1,392.00 vs. $1,356.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 25.5% higher at Orange Coast College than at Butte College (about $2,364 more per year; $11,640.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at Orange Coast College (88% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Butte College students is 21.6% larger than aid received by Orange Coast College students ($6,677 vs. $5,493).

Butte College vs. Orange Coast College Admissions comparison

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

Butte College vs. Orange Coast College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College earn a median of about $5,800 more per year than Butte College graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Orange Coast College graduates have a $7,478 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($6,500 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, Orange Coast College graduates have an estimated $77 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($67 vs. $144).
• More Orange Coast College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Butte College students, three years after graduation. (51% 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.