Mendocino College vs. SBCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Mendocino College in Ukiah, 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 Mendocino College based on total student enrollment (12,334 students vs. 4,225 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mendocino College is located in Ukiah, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Santa Barbara City College is in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting).
• Mendocino 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: Mendocino College 16:1; Santa Barbara City College 24:1.

Mendocino College vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mendocino 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 Mendocino College than SBCC ($9,798 vs. $14,186).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mendocino College are 24.9% lower than at Santa Barbara City College ($16,580 vs. $22,086).
• Mendocino College is 14.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than SBCC (about $183 more per year; $1,423.00 vs. $1,240.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.3% higher at SBCC than at Mendocino College (about $429 more per year; $10,432.00 vs. $10,003.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mendocino College than at Santa Barbara City College (84% vs. 41%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mendocino College students is 21.9% larger than aid received by Santa Barbara City College students ($7,180 vs. $5,889).

Mendocino College vs. SBCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mendocino College or SBCC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SBCC and Mendocino College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Mendocino College - Open admission; SBCC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SBCC Aug 19, 2027.

Mendocino College vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Mendocino College and SBCC? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Santa Barbara City College earn a median of about $11,000 more per year than Mendocino College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $29,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Barbara City College graduates have a $3,500 lower median loan debt than Mendocino College graduates ($9,500 vs. $13,000).
• Among borrowers, SBCC graduates have an estimated $36 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Mendocino College graduates ($98 vs. $134).
• More SBCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mendocino College students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 30%)

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.