Golden West College vs. Sac City

Comparable Facts

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

Sacramento City College is larger than Golden West College based on total student enrollment (19,920 students vs. 10,721 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting); Sacramento City College is in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting).
• Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sacramento City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Golden West College 29:1; Sacramento City College 26:1.

Golden West College vs. Sac City Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or Sac City? 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 Sac City ($6,681 vs. $8,624).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacramento City College are 6.6% lower than at Golden West College ($22,086 vs. $23,659).
• Golden West College is 7.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sac City (about $92 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.5% higher at Sac City than at Golden West College (about $988 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $11,628.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacramento City College than at Golden West College (90% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 10.6% larger than aid received by Sacramento City College students ($6,849 vs. $6,192).

Golden West College vs. Sac City Admissions comparison

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

Golden West College vs. Sac City Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West College and Sac City? 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 Sacramento City College earn a median of about $2,000 more per year than Golden West College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Golden West College graduates have a $5,016 lower median loan debt than Sac City graduates ($5,484 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, Golden West College graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Sac City graduates ($56 vs. $108).
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sac City students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 29%)

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.