Mission College vs. SBCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Mission College in Santa Clara, 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 Mission College based on total student enrollment (12,334 students vs. 6,909 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mission College is located in Santa Clara, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Santa Barbara City College is in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting).
• Mission 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: Mission College 26:1; Santa Barbara City College 24:1.

Mission College vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mission 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 Mission College than SBCC ($7,646 vs. $14,186).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 37.5% lower than at Mission College ($22,086 vs. $35,361).
• Mission College is 16% more expensive for in-state tuition than SBCC (about $198 more per year; $1,438.00 vs. $1,240.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 19.8% higher at Mission College than at Santa Barbara City College (about $2,068 more per year; $12,500.00 vs. $10,432.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mission College than at Santa Barbara City College (78% vs. 41%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Barbara City College students is 22.2% larger than aid received by Mission College students ($5,889 vs. $4,820).

Mission College vs. SBCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mission 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 Mission College.

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

Mission College vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Mission 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 Mission College earn a median of about $1,600 more per year than SBCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,000 vs. $40,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Mission College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SBCC students, three years after graduation. (49% 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.