DVC vs. SBCC

Deciding between Diablo Valley College and Santa Barbara City 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.

Santa Barbara City College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • DVC Pleasant Hill, CA
  • SBCC Santa Barbara, CA
  • Setting
  • DVC Large Suburban
  • SBCC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • DVC 17,228
  • SBCC 12,334
  • Type
  • DVC Public 2 Year
  • SBCC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • DVC
  • SBCC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • DVC -
  • SBCC -
  • Status
  • DVC Non-profit
  • SBCC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • DVC
  • SBCC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • DVC $1,312
  • SBCC $1,240
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • DVC $10,320
  • SBCC $10,432
  • Room & Board
  • DVC $23,238
  • SBCC $22,086
  • Average Net Price
  • DVC $11,001
  • SBCC $14,186
  • Average Grant Aid
  • DVC $4,441
  • SBCC $5,889
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • DVC 61%
  • SBCC 41%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • DVC -
  • SBCC -
  • Admitted
  • DVC -
  • SBCC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • DVC Open
  • SBCC Open
  • Enrolled
  • DVC Open
  • SBCC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • DVC
  • SBCC
  • Typical ACT score
  • DVC
  • SBCC
  • Average High School GPA
  • DVC -
  • SBCC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • DVC -
  • SBCC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • DVC Unavailable
  • SBCC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • DVC
  • SBCC
  • ACT Range
  • DVC
  • SBCC
  • SAT Range
  • DVC
  • SBCC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • DVC Open admission
  • SBCC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • DVC
  • SBCC Aug 19, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • DVC 25:1
  • SBCC 24:1
  • Popular Majors
  • DVC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
    • Work and Family Studies (14%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • SBCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
    • General Studies (13%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Business (4%)
    • Social Sciences (3%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • DVC -
  • SBCC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • DVC $44,800
  • SBCC $40,400
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • DVC 52%
  • SBCC 39%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • DVC N/A
  • SBCC $9,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • DVC N/A
  • SBCC $98

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • DVC 49%
  • SBCC 45%
  • % Women
  • DVC 51%
  • SBCC 55%
  • Racial Diversity
  • DVC Very High
  • SBCC High
  • HBCU
  • DVC No
  • SBCC No
  • % White
  • DVC 38%
  • SBCC 41%
  • % Asian
  • DVC 15%
  • SBCC 5%
  • % Black
  • DVC 5%
  • SBCC 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • DVC 23%
  • SBCC 33%
  • % Native American
  • DVC 0%
  • SBCC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • DVC 0%
  • SBCC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • DVC 8%
  • SBCC 5%
  • % International
  • DVC 9%
  • SBCC 9%
  • % Unknown Race
  • DVC 1%
  • SBCC 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • DVC 90%
  • SBCC 81%
  • % Out-of-State
  • DVC 0%
  • SBCC 0%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA with Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Diablo Valley College is larger than SBCC based on total student enrollment (17,228 students vs. 12,334 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Diablo Valley College is located in Pleasant Hill, CA (Large Suburban setting); Santa Barbara City College is in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting).
  • Diablo Valley 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: Diablo Valley College 25:1; Santa Barbara City College 24:1.

DVC vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DVC 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 Diablo Valley College than SBCC ($11,001 vs. $14,186).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 5% lower than at Diablo Valley College ($22,086 vs. $23,238).
  • Diablo Valley College is 5.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than SBCC (about $72 more per year; $1,312.00 vs. $1,240.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 1.1% higher at SBCC than at Diablo Valley College (about $112 more per year; $10,432.00 vs. $10,320.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Diablo Valley College than at Santa Barbara City College (61% vs. 41%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Barbara City College students is 32.6% larger than aid received by Diablo Valley College students ($5,889 vs. $4,441).

DVC vs. SBCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, DVC 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 DVC.

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

DVC vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for DVC 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 Diablo Valley College earn a median of about $4,400 more per year than SBCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $40,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More DVC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SBCC students, three years after graduation. (52% 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.