ECC vs. Orange Coast College

Comparable Facts

Compare El Camino Community College District in Torrance, CA with Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

El Camino Community College District is larger than Orange Coast College based on total student enrollment (21,664 students vs. 17,096 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• El Camino Community College District is located in Torrance, CA (Large Suburban setting); Orange Coast College is in Costa Mesa, CA (Midsize City setting).
• El Camino Community College District is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Orange Coast College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: El Camino Community College District 28:1; Orange Coast College 27:1.

ECC vs. Orange Coast College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College ($8,837 vs. $9,116).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Orange Coast College are 1.4% lower than at El Camino Community College District ($19,159 vs. $19,431).
• Orange Coast College is 21.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $248 more per year; $1,392.00 vs. $1,144.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 52.6% higher at Orange Coast College than at El Camino Community College District (about $4,010 more per year; $11,640.00 vs. $7,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at El Camino Community College District than at Orange Coast College (70% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by El Camino Community College District students is 25.5% larger than aid received by Orange Coast College students ($6,896 vs. $5,493).

ECC vs. Orange Coast College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECC or Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast 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; Orange Coast College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: ECC Aug 27, 2027.

ECC vs. Orange Coast College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College earn a median of about $5,800 more per year than ECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Orange Coast College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (51% 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.