Coastline Community College vs. SAC

Comparable Facts

Compare Coastline Community College in Fountain Valley, CA with Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Santa Ana College is larger than Coastline Community College based on total student enrollment (27,248 students vs. 9,008 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Coastline Community College is located in Fountain Valley, CA (Small City setting); Santa Ana College is in Santa Ana, CA (Large City setting).
• Coastline Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Ana College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Coastline Community College 39:1; Santa Ana College 33:1.

Coastline Community College vs. SAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Coastline Community College or SAC? 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 Santa Ana College than Coastline Community College ($5,894 vs. $16,972).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Ana College are 6.5% lower than at Coastline Community College ($22,126 vs. $23,659).
• Coastline Community College is 15.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than SAC (about $184 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,180.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8% higher at Coastline Community College than at Santa Ana College (about $856 more per year; $11,612.00 vs. $10,756.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Ana College than at Coastline Community College (89% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Ana College students is 24.1% larger than aid received by Coastline Community College students ($6,768 vs. $5,455).

Coastline Community College vs. SAC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Coastline Community College or SAC? 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 SAC and Coastline Community College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Coastline Community College - Open admission; SAC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SAC Apr 1, 2027.

Coastline Community College vs. SAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Coastline Community College and SAC? 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 Coastline Community College earn a median of about $3,100 more per year than SAC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,600 vs. $37,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Coastline Community College graduates have a $2,250 lower median loan debt than SAC graduates ($5,250 vs. $7,500).
• Among borrowers, Coastline Community College graduates have an estimated $23 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SAC graduates ($54 vs. $77).
• More SAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Coastline Community College students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 39%)

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.