Golden West College vs. PGCC

Comparable Facts

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

Golden West College is larger than PGCC based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 70 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting); Professional Golfers Career College is in Temecula, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Professional Golfers Career College is a private, for-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Golden West College 29:1; Professional Golfers Career College 17:1.

Golden West College vs. PGCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or PGCC? 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 PGCC ($6,681 vs. $35,686).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Professional Golfers Career College are 36.1% lower than at Golden West College ($15,113 vs. $23,659).
• Professional Golfers Career College is 1,265.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Golden West College (about $17,460 more per year; $18,840.00 vs. $1,380.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 62% higher at PGCC than at Golden West College (about $7,212 more per year; $18,840.00 vs. $11,628.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Golden West College than at Professional Golfers Career College (82% vs. 16%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 124.3% larger than aid received by Professional Golfers Career College students ($6,849 vs. $3,053).

Golden West College vs. PGCC Admissions comparison

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

Golden West College vs. PGCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West College and PGCC? 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 Professional Golfers Career College earn a median of about $13,900 more per year than Golden West College graduates about ten years after starting college ($50,900 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Golden West College graduates have a $6,516 lower median loan debt than PGCC graduates ($5,484 vs. $12,000).
• Among borrowers, Golden West College graduates have an estimated $68 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than PGCC graduates ($56 vs. $124).
• More PGCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Golden West College students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 53%)

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.