Columbia Junior College vs. SBCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Columbia College in Sonora, 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 Columbia Junior College based on total student enrollment (12,334 students vs. 2,828 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Columbia College is located in Sonora, CA (Remote Town setting); Santa Barbara City College is in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting).
• Columbia College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Barbara City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Columbia College 21:1; Santa Barbara City College 24:1.

Columbia Junior College vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia Junior College 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 Columbia College than SBCC ($12,358 vs. $14,186).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Columbia College and SBCC ($22,086).
• Columbia College is 3.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than SBCC (about $42 more per year; $1,282.00 vs. $1,240.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 12.6% higher at SBCC than at Columbia College (about $1,168 more per year; $10,432.00 vs. $9,264.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Columbia College than at Santa Barbara City College (74% vs. 41%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 3.9% larger than aid received by Santa Barbara City College students ($6,119 vs. $5,889).

Columbia Junior College vs. SBCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia Junior College or SBCC? 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 SBCC and Columbia Junior College.

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

Columbia Junior College vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Columbia Junior College and SBCC? 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 Santa Barbara City College earn a median of about $10,000 more per year than Columbia Junior College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 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.