Harbor College vs. SBCC

Comparable Facts

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

Santa Barbara City College is larger than Harbor College based on total student enrollment (12,334 students vs. 9,463 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Los Angeles Harbor College is located in Wilmington, CA (Large City setting); Santa Barbara City College is in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting).
• Los Angeles Harbor College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Barbara City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Los Angeles Harbor College 27:1; Santa Barbara City College 24:1.

Harbor College vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harbor College or SBCC? 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 Santa Barbara City College than Harbor College ($14,186 vs. $14,632).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 13.1% lower than at Los Angeles Harbor College ($22,086 vs. $25,407).
• Santa Barbara City College is 0.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harbor College (about $2 more per year; $1,240.00 vs. $1,238.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.3% higher at Harbor College than at Santa Barbara City College (about $136 more per year; $10,568.00 vs. $10,432.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Los Angeles Harbor College than at Santa Barbara City College (81% vs. 41%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Los Angeles Harbor College students is 14.9% larger than aid received by Santa Barbara City College students ($6,765 vs. $5,889).

Harbor College vs. SBCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Harbor College or SBCC? 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 SBCC 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; SBCC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SBCC Aug 19, 2027.

Harbor College vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Harbor College and SBCC? 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 Santa Barbara City College earn a median of about $3,700 more per year than Harbor College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Los Angeles Harbor College graduates have a $5,000 lower median loan debt than SBCC graduates ($4,500 vs. $9,500).
• Among borrowers, Harbor College graduates have an estimated $52 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SBCC graduates ($46 vs. $98).
• More Harbor College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SBCC students, three years after graduation. (42% vs. 39%)

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.