Golden West College vs. Harbor College

Comparable Facts

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

Golden West College is larger than Harbor College based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 9,463 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting); Los Angeles Harbor College is in Wilmington, CA (Large City setting).
• Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Los Angeles Harbor College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Golden West College 29:1; Los Angeles Harbor College 27:1.

Golden West College vs. Harbor College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or Harbor 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 Harbor College ($6,681 vs. $14,632).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Golden West College are 6.9% lower than at Los Angeles Harbor College ($23,659 vs. $25,407).
• Golden West College is 11.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harbor College (about $142 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,238.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10% higher at Golden West College than at Los Angeles Harbor College (about $1,060 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $10,568.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Golden West College than at Los Angeles Harbor College (82% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 1.2% larger than aid received by Los Angeles Harbor College students ($6,849 vs. $6,765).

Golden West College vs. Harbor College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Golden West College or Harbor 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 Harbor 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; Harbor College - Open admission.

Golden West College vs. Harbor College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West College and Harbor 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 Golden West College earn a median of about $300 more per year than Harbor College graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,000 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Los Angeles Harbor College graduates have a $984 lower median loan debt than Golden West College graduates ($4,500 vs. $5,484).
• Among borrowers, Harbor College graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Golden West College graduates ($46 vs. $56).
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harbor College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 42%)

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.