Golden West College vs. West Valley College

Comparable Facts

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

Golden West College is larger than West Valley College based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 7,655 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Golden West College vs. West Valley College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or West Valley 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 West Valley College ($6,681 vs. $7,270).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Golden West College are 33.1% lower than at West Valley College ($23,659 vs. $35,361).
• West Valley College is 8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Golden West College (about $110 more per year; $1,490.00 vs. $1,380.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 33.6% higher at Golden West College than at West Valley College (about $2,926 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $8,702.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Golden West College than at West Valley College (82% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 42.5% larger than aid received by West Valley College students ($6,849 vs. $4,806).

Golden West College vs. West Valley College Admissions comparison

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

Golden West College vs. West Valley College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West College and West Valley 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 West Valley College earn a median of about $4,100 more per year than Golden West College graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,100 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former West Valley College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 45%)

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.