Cabrillo College vs. Columbia Junior College

Deciding between Cabrillo College and Columbia College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Cabrillo College Aptos, CA
  • Columbia Junior College Sonora, CA
  • Setting
  • Cabrillo College Midsize Suburban
  • Columbia Junior College Remote Town
  • Total enrollment
  • Cabrillo College 9,457
  • Columbia Junior College 2,828
  • Type
  • Cabrillo College Public 2 Year
  • Columbia Junior College Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Cabrillo College
  • Columbia Junior College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Cabrillo College -
  • Columbia Junior College -
  • Status
  • Cabrillo College Non-profit
  • Columbia Junior College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Cabrillo College
  • Columbia Junior College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Cabrillo College $1,270
  • Columbia Junior College $1,282
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Cabrillo College $9,862
  • Columbia Junior College $9,264
  • Room & Board
  • Cabrillo College $25,281
  • Columbia Junior College $22,086
  • Average Net Price
  • Cabrillo College $20,716
  • Columbia Junior College $12,358
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Cabrillo College $5,600
  • Columbia Junior College $6,119
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Cabrillo College 85%
  • Columbia Junior College 74%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Cabrillo College -
  • Columbia Junior College -
  • Admitted
  • Cabrillo College -
  • Columbia Junior College -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Cabrillo College Open
  • Columbia Junior College Open
  • Enrolled
  • Cabrillo College Open
  • Columbia Junior College Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • Cabrillo College
  • Columbia Junior College
  • Typical ACT score
  • Cabrillo College
  • Columbia Junior College
  • Average High School GPA
  • Cabrillo College -
  • Columbia Junior College -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Cabrillo College -
  • Columbia Junior College -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Cabrillo College Unavailable
  • Columbia Junior College Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Cabrillo College
  • Columbia Junior College
  • ACT Range
  • Cabrillo College
  • Columbia Junior College
  • SAT Range
  • Cabrillo College
  • Columbia Junior College
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Cabrillo College Open admission
  • Columbia Junior College Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • Cabrillo College Apr 9, 2027
  • Columbia Junior College

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Cabrillo College 20:1
  • Columbia Junior College 21:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Cabrillo College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (40%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Work and Family Studies (7%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (4%)
  • Columbia Junior College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (35%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
    • Work and Family Studies (8%)
    • Personal and Culinary Services (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Cabrillo College -
  • Columbia Junior College -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Cabrillo College $40,200
  • Columbia Junior College $30,400
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Cabrillo College 40%
  • Columbia Junior College -
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Cabrillo College $10,500
  • Columbia Junior College N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Cabrillo College $108
  • Columbia Junior College N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Cabrillo College 43%
  • Columbia Junior College 45%
  • % Women
  • Cabrillo College 57%
  • Columbia Junior College 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Cabrillo College High
  • Columbia Junior College Low
  • HBCU
  • Cabrillo College No
  • Columbia Junior College No
  • % White
  • Cabrillo College 48%
  • Columbia Junior College 76%
  • % Asian
  • Cabrillo College 4%
  • Columbia Junior College 2%
  • % Black
  • Cabrillo College 1%
  • Columbia Junior College 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • Cabrillo College 40%
  • Columbia Junior College 15%
  • % Native American
  • Cabrillo College 0%
  • Columbia Junior College 2%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Cabrillo College 0%
  • Columbia Junior College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Cabrillo College 5%
  • Columbia Junior College 2%
  • % International
  • Cabrillo College 1%
  • Columbia Junior College 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Cabrillo College 1%
  • Columbia Junior College 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Cabrillo College 95%
  • Columbia Junior College 98%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Cabrillo College 0%
  • Columbia Junior College 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Cabrillo College No
  • Columbia Junior College No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Cabrillo College No
  • Columbia Junior College No
  • Meal Plan
  • Cabrillo College No
  • Columbia Junior College No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Cabrillo College Yes
  • Columbia Junior College No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Cabrillo College Yes
  • Columbia Junior College Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA with Columbia College in Sonora, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cabrillo College is larger than Columbia Junior College based on total student enrollment (9,457 students vs. 2,828 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Cabrillo College is located in Aptos, CA (Midsize Suburban setting); Columbia College is in Sonora, CA (Remote Town setting).
  • Cabrillo College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Columbia College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Cabrillo College 20:1; Columbia College 21:1.

Cabrillo College vs. Columbia Junior College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cabrillo College or Columbia Junior 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 Columbia College than Cabrillo College ($12,358 vs. $20,716).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 12.6% lower than at Cabrillo College ($22,086 vs. $25,281).
  • Columbia College is 0.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cabrillo College (about $12 more per year; $1,282.00 vs. $1,270.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 6.5% higher at Cabrillo College than at Columbia College (about $598 more per year; $9,862.00 vs. $9,264.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cabrillo College than at Columbia College (85% vs. 74%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 9.3% larger than aid received by Cabrillo College students ($6,119 vs. $5,600).

Cabrillo College vs. Columbia Junior College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cabrillo College or Columbia Junior College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Columbia Junior College and Cabrillo College.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cabrillo College - Open admission; Columbia Junior College - Open admission.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Cabrillo College Apr 9, 2027.

Cabrillo College vs. Columbia Junior College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cabrillo College and Columbia Junior College? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Cabrillo College earn a median of about $9,800 more per year than Columbia Junior College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,200 vs. $30,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.