ECC vs. Golden West College

Comparable Facts

Compare El Camino Community College District in Torrance, CA with Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

El Camino Community College District is larger than Golden West College based on total student enrollment (21,664 students vs. 10,721 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• El Camino Community College District is located in Torrance, CA (Large Suburban setting); Golden West College is in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• El Camino Community College District is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: El Camino Community College District 28:1; Golden West College 29:1.

ECC vs. Golden West College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC 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 ECC ($6,681 vs. $8,837).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at El Camino Community College District are 17.9% lower than at Golden West College ($19,431 vs. $23,659).
• Golden West College is 20.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $236 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,144.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 52.4% higher at Golden West College than at El Camino Community College District (about $3,998 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $7,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Golden West College than at El Camino Community College District (82% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by El Camino Community College District students is 0.7% larger than aid received by Golden West College students ($6,896 vs. $6,849).

ECC vs. Golden West College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECC 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 ECC.

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

ECC vs. Golden West College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC 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 from Golden West College earn a median of about $600 more per year than ECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,000 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (53% 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.