ECC vs. Saddleback College

Comparable Facts

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

El Camino Community College District is larger than Saddleback College based on total student enrollment (21,664 students vs. 20,764 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• El Camino Community College District is located in Torrance, CA (Large Suburban setting); Saddleback College is in Mission Viejo, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• El Camino Community College District is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Saddleback College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: El Camino Community College District 28:1; Saddleback College 27:1.

ECC vs. Saddleback College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or Saddleback 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 Saddleback College than ECC ($8,122 vs. $8,837).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at El Camino Community College District are 24.6% lower than at Saddleback College ($19,431 vs. $25,769).
• Saddleback College is 1% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $12 more per year; $1,156.00 vs. $1,144.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 55.4% higher at Saddleback College than at El Camino Community College District (about $4,230 more per year; $11,860.00 vs. $7,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saddleback College than at El Camino Community College District (77% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by El Camino Community College District students is 49.8% larger than aid received by Saddleback College students ($6,896 vs. $4,603).

ECC vs. Saddleback College Admissions comparison

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

ECC vs. Saddleback College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and Saddleback 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 Saddleback College earn a median of about $7,900 more per year than ECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,300 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Saddleback 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.