Harbor College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College

Comparable Facts

Compare Los Angeles Harbor College in Wilmington, CA with Los Angeles Southwest College in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Los Angeles Harbor College is larger than Los Angeles Southwest College based on total student enrollment (9,463 students vs. 5,371 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Los Angeles Harbor College is located in Wilmington, CA (Large City setting); Los Angeles Southwest College is in Los Angeles, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Los Angeles Harbor College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Los Angeles Southwest College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Los Angeles Harbor College 27:1; Los Angeles Southwest College 22:1.

Harbor College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harbor College or Los Angeles Southwest 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 Los Angeles Southwest College than Harbor College ($6,361 vs. $14,632).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Los Angeles Harbor College and Los Angeles Southwest College ($25,407).
• Los Angeles Harbor College and Los Angeles Southwest College have the same published in-state tuition ($1,238.00 vs. $1,238.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0% higher at Los Angeles Southwest College than at Los Angeles Harbor College (about $4 more per year; $10,572.00 vs. $10,568.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Los Angeles Southwest College than at Los Angeles Harbor College (86% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Los Angeles Harbor College students is 2.2% larger than aid received by Los Angeles Southwest College students ($6,765 vs. $6,622).

Harbor College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Harbor College or Los Angeles Southwest 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 Los Angeles Southwest College and Harbor College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Harbor College - Open admission; Los Angeles Southwest College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Los Angeles Southwest College Sep 12, 2026.

Harbor College vs. Los Angeles Southwest College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Harbor College and Los Angeles Southwest 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 Los Angeles Harbor College earn a median of about $7,500 more per year than Los Angeles Southwest College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,700 vs. $29,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Los Angeles Southwest College and Harbor College graduates have the same median loan debt ($4,500 vs. $4,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Los Angeles Southwest College and Harbor College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($46 vs. $46).
• More Harbor College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Los Angeles Southwest College students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 21%)

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.