College of Alameda vs. SBCC

Comparable Facts

Compare College of Alameda in Alameda, CA with Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Santa Barbara City College is larger than College of Alameda based on total student enrollment (12,334 students vs. 6,141 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of Alameda is located in Alameda, CA (Large Suburban setting); Santa Barbara City College is in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting).
• College of Alameda is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Barbara City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of Alameda 38:1; Santa Barbara City College 24:1.

College of Alameda vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of Alameda or SBCC? 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 College of Alameda than SBCC ($12,506 vs. $14,186).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 3.2% lower than at College of Alameda ($22,086 vs. $22,820).
• College of Alameda is 1.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than SBCC (about $18 more per year; $1,258.00 vs. $1,240.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.4% higher at SBCC than at College of Alameda (about $534 more per year; $10,432.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of Alameda than at Santa Barbara City College (86% vs. 41%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Barbara City College students is 9.4% larger than aid received by College of Alameda students ($5,889 vs. $5,385).

College of Alameda vs. SBCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of Alameda or SBCC? 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 SBCC and College of Alameda.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: College of Alameda - Open admission; SBCC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SBCC Aug 19, 2027.

College of Alameda vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of Alameda and SBCC? 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 Santa Barbara City College earn a median of about $3,700 more per year than College of Alameda graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More SBCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of Alameda students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 30%)

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.