CCC vs. Golden West College

Comparable Facts

Compare Contra Costa College in San Pablo, CA with Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Golden West College is larger than CCC based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 6,538 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Contra Costa College is located in San Pablo, CA (Large Suburban setting); Golden West College is in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Contra Costa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Contra Costa College 22:1; Golden West College 29:1.

CCC vs. Golden West College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CCC or Golden West 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 Golden West College than CCC ($6,681 vs. $11,384).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Contra Costa College are 1.8% lower than at Golden West College ($23,238 vs. $23,659).
• Golden West College is 5.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CCC (about $68 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,312.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 12.7% higher at Golden West College than at Contra Costa College (about $1,308 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $10,320.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Contra Costa College than at Golden West College (84% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 21.2% larger than aid received by Contra Costa College students ($6,849 vs. $5,652).

CCC vs. Golden West College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CCC or Golden West 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 Golden West College and CCC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CCC - Open admission; Golden West College - Open admission.

CCC vs. Golden West College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CCC and Golden West 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 of Contra Costa College and Golden West College have equivalent median earnings about ten years after starting college ($37,000 vs. $37,000), per the federal College Scorecard cohort (typically among students working and not enrolled).
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CCC students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 28%)

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.