ECC vs. Pasadena City College

Comparable Facts

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

Pasadena City College is larger than ECC based on total student enrollment (24,597 students vs. 21,664 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• El Camino Community College District is located in Torrance, CA (Large Suburban setting); Pasadena City College is in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting).
• El Camino Community College District is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Pasadena City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: El Camino Community College District 28:1; Pasadena City College 23:1.

ECC vs. Pasadena City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or Pasadena City 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 Pasadena City College than ECC ($6,888 vs. $8,837).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at El Camino Community College District and Pasadena City College ($19,431).
• Pasadena City College is 3.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $36 more per year; $1,180.00 vs. $1,144.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.7% higher at Pasadena City College than at El Camino Community College District (about $2,190 more per year; $9,820.00 vs. $7,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Pasadena City College than at El Camino Community College District (78% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by El Camino Community College District students is 2% larger than aid received by Pasadena City College students ($6,896 vs. $6,759).

ECC vs. Pasadena City College Admissions comparison

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

ECC vs. Pasadena City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and Pasadena City 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 Pasadena City College earn a median of about $1,500 more per year than ECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,900 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Pasadena City College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (36% 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.