DVC vs. SAC

Deciding between Diablo Valley College and Santa Ana 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.

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • DVC Pleasant Hill, CA
  • SAC Santa Ana, CA
  • Setting
  • DVC Large Suburban
  • SAC Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • DVC 17,228
  • SAC 27,248
  • Type
  • DVC Public 2 Year
  • SAC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • DVC
  • SAC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • DVC -
  • SAC -
  • Status
  • DVC Non-profit
  • SAC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • DVC
  • SAC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • DVC $1,312
  • SAC $1,180
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • DVC $10,320
  • SAC $10,756
  • Room & Board
  • DVC $23,238
  • SAC $22,126
  • Average Net Price
  • DVC $11,001
  • SAC $5,894
  • Average Grant Aid
  • DVC $4,441
  • SAC $6,768
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • DVC 61%
  • SAC 89%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • DVC -
  • SAC -
  • Admitted
  • DVC -
  • SAC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • DVC Open
  • SAC Open
  • Enrolled
  • DVC Open
  • SAC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • DVC
  • SAC
  • Typical ACT score
  • DVC
  • SAC
  • Average High School GPA
  • DVC -
  • SAC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • DVC -
  • SAC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • DVC Unavailable
  • SAC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • DVC
  • SAC
  • ACT Range
  • DVC
  • SAC
  • SAT Range
  • DVC
  • SAC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • DVC Open admission
  • SAC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • DVC
  • SAC Apr 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • DVC 25:1
  • SAC 33:1
  • Popular Majors
  • DVC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
    • Work and Family Studies (14%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • SAC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
    • Health Professions (12%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
    • Work and Family Studies (2%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • DVC -
  • SAC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • DVC $44,800
  • SAC $37,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • DVC 52%
  • SAC 47%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • DVC N/A
  • SAC $7,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • DVC N/A
  • SAC $77

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • DVC 49%
  • SAC 58%
  • % Women
  • DVC 51%
  • SAC 42%
  • Racial Diversity
  • DVC Very High
  • SAC High
  • HBCU
  • DVC No
  • SAC No
  • % White
  • DVC 38%
  • SAC 21%
  • % Asian
  • DVC 15%
  • SAC 8%
  • % Black
  • DVC 5%
  • SAC 1%
  • % Hispanic
  • DVC 23%
  • SAC 50%
  • % Native American
  • DVC 0%
  • SAC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • DVC 0%
  • SAC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • DVC 8%
  • SAC 1%
  • % International
  • DVC 9%
  • SAC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • DVC 1%
  • SAC 15%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • DVC 90%
  • SAC 96%
  • % Out-of-State
  • DVC 0%
  • SAC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • DVC No
  • SAC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • DVC No
  • SAC No
  • Meal Plan
  • DVC No
  • SAC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • DVC Yes
  • SAC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • DVC Yes
  • SAC Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, 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 DVC based on total student enrollment (27,248 students vs. 17,228 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Diablo Valley College is located in Pleasant Hill, CA (Large Suburban setting); Santa Ana College is in Santa Ana, CA (Large City setting).
  • Diablo Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Ana College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Diablo Valley College 25:1; Santa Ana College 33:1.

DVC vs. SAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DVC 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 DVC ($5,894 vs. $11,001).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Ana College are 4.8% lower than at Diablo Valley College ($22,126 vs. $23,238).
  • Diablo Valley College is 11.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than SAC (about $132 more per year; $1,312.00 vs. $1,180.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 4.2% higher at SAC than at Diablo Valley College (about $436 more per year; $10,756.00 vs. $10,320.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Ana College than at Diablo Valley College (89% vs. 61%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Ana College students is 52.4% larger than aid received by Diablo Valley College students ($6,768 vs. $4,441).

DVC vs. SAC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, DVC 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 DVC.

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

DVC vs. SAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for DVC 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 Diablo Valley College earn a median of about $7,300 more per year than SAC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $37,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More DVC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SAC students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 47%)

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.