ECC vs. Foothill College

Comparable Facts

Compare El Camino Community College District in Torrance, CA with Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

El Camino Community College District is larger than Foothill College based on total student enrollment (21,664 students vs. 12,949 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• El Camino Community College District is located in Torrance, CA (Large Suburban setting); Foothill College is in Los Altos Hills, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• El Camino Community College District is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Foothill College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: El Camino Community College District 28:1; Foothill College 26:1.

ECC vs. Foothill College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or Foothill 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 El Camino Community College District than Foothill College ($8,837 vs. $10,805).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at El Camino Community College District are 6.6% lower than at Foothill College ($19,431 vs. $20,793).
• Foothill College is 36.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $421 more per year; $1,565.00 vs. $1,144.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 65% higher at Foothill College than at El Camino Community College District (about $4,960 more per year; $12,590.00 vs. $7,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at El Camino Community College District than at Foothill College (70% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by El Camino Community College District students is 63.3% larger than aid received by Foothill College students ($6,896 vs. $4,223).

ECC vs. Foothill College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECC or Foothill 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 Foothill College and ECC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ECC - Open admission; Foothill College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: ECC Aug 27, 2027.

ECC vs. Foothill College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and Foothill 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 from Foothill College earn a median of about $23,000 more per year than ECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,400 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Foothill College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 25%)

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.