Foothill College vs. Sierra College

Comparable Facts

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

Sierra College is larger than Foothill College based on total student enrollment (19,125 students vs. 12,949 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Foothill College is located in Los Altos Hills, CA (Large Suburban setting); Sierra College is in Rocklin, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Foothill College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sierra College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Foothill College 26:1; Sierra College 25:1.

Foothill College vs. Sierra College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Foothill College or Sierra 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 Sierra College than Foothill College ($10,285 vs. $10,805).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sierra College are 34.4% lower than at Foothill College ($13,631 vs. $20,793).
• Foothill College is 8.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sierra College (about $119 more per year; $1,565.00 vs. $1,446.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 770.7% higher at Foothill College than at Sierra College (about $11,144 more per year; $12,590.00 vs. $1,446.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sierra College than at Foothill College (80% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sierra College students is 18.5% larger than aid received by Foothill College students ($5,006 vs. $4,223).

Foothill College vs. Sierra College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Foothill College or Sierra 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 Sierra 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; Sierra College - Open admission.

Foothill College vs. Sierra College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Foothill College and Sierra 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 $23,300 more per year than Sierra College graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,400 vs. $36,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Foothill College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sierra College students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 32%)

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.