Golden West College vs. Sierra College

Comparable Facts

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

Sierra College is larger than Golden West College based on total student enrollment (19,125 students vs. 10,721 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting); Sierra College is in Rocklin, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sierra College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Golden West College 29:1; Sierra College 25:1.

Golden West College vs. Sierra College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or Sierra 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 Sierra College ($6,681 vs. $10,285).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sierra College are 42.4% lower than at Golden West College ($13,631 vs. $23,659).
• Sierra College is 4.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Golden West College (about $66 more per year; $1,446.00 vs. $1,380.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 704.1% higher at Golden West College than at Sierra College (about $10,182 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $1,446.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Golden West College than at Sierra College (82% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 36.8% larger than aid received by Sierra College students ($6,849 vs. $5,006).

Golden West College vs. Sierra College Admissions comparison

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

Golden West College vs. Sierra College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West College and Sierra 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 $900 more per year than Sierra College graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,000 vs. $36,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sierra College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 32%)

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.