Golden West College vs. Solano College

Comparable Facts

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

Golden West College is larger than Solano College based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 9,282 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting); Solano Community College is in Fairfield, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Solano Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Golden West College 29:1; Solano Community College 27:1.

Golden West College vs. Solano College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or Solano 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 Solano College ($6,681 vs. $7,102).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Solano Community College are 6.6% lower than at Golden West College ($22,086 vs. $23,659).
• Golden West College is 17.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than Solano College (about $208 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,172.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 18.5% higher at Golden West College than at Solano Community College (about $1,816 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $9,812.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Solano Community College than at Golden West College (85% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 49.6% larger than aid received by Solano Community College students ($6,849 vs. $4,579).

Golden West College vs. Solano College Admissions comparison

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

Golden West College vs. Solano College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West College and Solano 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 Solano Community College earn a median of about $3,100 more per year than Golden West College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,100 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Golden West College graduates have a $4,319 lower median loan debt than Solano College graduates ($5,484 vs. $9,803).
• Among borrowers, Golden West College graduates have an estimated $45 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Solano College graduates ($56 vs. $101).
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Solano College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 27%)

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.