Golden West College vs. SBCC

Should I go to Golden West College or Santa Barbara City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Golden West College or SBCC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Golden West College vs. Santa Barbara City College comparison
Golden West College Santa Barbara City College College 3 College 4
Golden West College Santa Barbara City College
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Overview

Golden West College SBCC
Location Huntington Beach, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 10,433 12,345
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website goldenwestcollege.edu sbcc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Golden West College SBCC
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $10,992 $9,528
Room & Board $23,659 $20,232
Avg Net Price $5,438 $12,883
Avg Grant Aid $6,487 $5,483
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 37%

Admission

Golden West College SBCC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 19, 2026

Academics

Golden West College SBCC
Student to Faculty Ratio 26:1 35:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (29%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (4%)
  • Social Sciences (3%)

Outcomes

Golden West College SBCC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,000 $40,400
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 39%
Median Student Loan Debt $5,484 $9,500
Median Loan Payment $56 $98

Diversity

Golden West College SBCC
% Men 7% 9%
% Women 8% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 41%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 31% 33%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 2% 9%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Golden West College SBCC
% In-State 92% 80%
% Out-of-State 2% 0%

Campus

Golden West College SBCC
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Barbara City College is larger than than Golden West College based on total student enrollment (12,345 students vs. 10,433 students)

Golden West College vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or SBCC?

  • Golden West College and SBCC cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($1,104.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.4% higher at Golden West College than Santa Barbara City College ($10,992.00 vs. $9,528.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Golden West College than SBCC ($5,438 vs. $12,883)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 16.9% lower than costs at Golden West College ($20,232 vs. $23,659)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Golden West College than Santa Barbara City College (71% vs. 37%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 18.3% larger than aid received Santa Barbara City College ($6,487 vs. $5,483)

Which college is harder to get into, Golden West College or SBCC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SBCC or Golden West College .

Golden West College vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Golden West College or SBCC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SBCC and Golden West College.

  • Graduates from Santa Barbara City College earn on average $3,400 more per year than Golden West College graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $37,000)
  • Golden West College students graduate with a $4,016 lower median federal student loan debt than SBCC graduates. ($5,484 vs. $9,500)
  • Golden West College graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than SBCC graduates. ($56 vs. $98)
  • More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SBCC students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 39%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/