Golden West College vs. LMC

Comparable Facts

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

Golden West College is larger than LMC based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 8,455 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting); Los Medanos College is in Pittsburg, CA (Midsize Suburban setting).
• Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Los Medanos College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Golden West College 29:1; Los Medanos College 23:1.

Golden West College vs. LMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or LMC? 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 LMC ($6,681 vs. $9,860).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Los Medanos College are 1.8% lower than at Golden West College ($23,238 vs. $23,659).
• Golden West College is 5.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than LMC (about $68 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,312.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 12.7% higher at Golden West College than at Los Medanos College (about $1,308 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $10,320.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Los Medanos College than at Golden West College (83% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 34.1% larger than aid received by Los Medanos College students ($6,849 vs. $5,109).

Golden West College vs. LMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Golden West College or LMC? 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 LMC 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; LMC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: LMC Aug 9, 2027.

Golden West College vs. LMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West College and LMC? 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 Los Medanos College earn a median of about $3,700 more per year than Golden West College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,700 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 LMC students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 43%)

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.