Golden West College vs. Berkeley City College

Comparable Facts

Compare Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA with Berkeley City College in Berkeley, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Golden West College is larger than Berkeley City College based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 6,278 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting); Berkeley City College is in Berkeley, CA (Midsize City setting).
• Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Berkeley City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Golden West College 29:1; Berkeley City College 33:1.

Golden West College vs. Berkeley City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or Berkeley 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 Golden West College than Berkeley City College ($6,681 vs. $12,695).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Berkeley City College are 3.5% lower than at Golden West College ($22,820 vs. $23,659).
• Golden West College is 9.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Berkeley City College (about $122 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,258.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 17.5% higher at Golden West College than at Berkeley City College (about $1,730 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Golden West College than at Berkeley City College (82% vs. 74%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 26.3% larger than aid received by Berkeley City College students ($6,849 vs. $5,422).

Golden West College vs. Berkeley City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Golden West College or Berkeley 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 Berkeley City College and Golden West College.

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

Golden West College vs. Berkeley City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West College and Berkeley 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 Berkeley City College earn a median of about $1,200 more per year than Golden West College graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,200 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Berkeley City College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 35%)

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.