Foothill College vs. Hartnell College

Comparable Facts

Compare Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA with Hartnell College in Salinas, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Foothill College is larger than Hartnell College based on total student enrollment (12,949 students vs. 11,273 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Foothill College is located in Los Altos Hills, CA (Large Suburban setting); Hartnell College is in Salinas, CA (Midsize City setting).
• Foothill College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Hartnell College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Foothill College 26:1; Hartnell College 22:1.

Foothill College vs. Hartnell College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Foothill College or Hartnell 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 Hartnell College than Foothill College ($5,246 vs. $10,805).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Foothill College are 28.2% lower than at Hartnell College ($20,793 vs. $28,953).
• Foothill College is 11.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Hartnell College (about $161 more per year; $1,565.00 vs. $1,404.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 21.4% higher at Foothill College than at Hartnell College (about $2,216 more per year; $12,590.00 vs. $10,374.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Hartnell College than at Foothill College (94% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Hartnell College students is 48.3% larger than aid received by Foothill College students ($6,263 vs. $4,223).

Foothill College vs. Hartnell College Admissions comparison

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

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Foothill College - Open admission; Hartnell College - Open admission.

Foothill College vs. Hartnell College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Foothill College and Hartnell 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 $23,100 more per year than Hartnell College graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,400 vs. $36,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Foothill College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hartnell College students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 27%)

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.