Orange Coast College vs. Sierra College

Comparable Facts

Compare Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA with Sierra College in Rocklin, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Sierra College is larger than Orange Coast College based on total student enrollment (19,125 students vs. 17,096 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Orange Coast College is located in Costa Mesa, CA (Midsize City setting); Sierra College is in Rocklin, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Orange Coast College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sierra College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Orange Coast College 27:1; Sierra College 25:1.

Orange Coast College vs. Sierra College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Orange Coast College or Sierra 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 Orange Coast College than Sierra College ($9,116 vs. $10,285).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sierra College are 28.9% lower than at Orange Coast College ($13,631 vs. $19,159).
• Sierra College is 3.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Orange Coast College (about $54 more per year; $1,446.00 vs. $1,392.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 705% higher at Orange Coast College than at Sierra College (about $10,194 more per year; $11,640.00 vs. $1,446.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sierra College than at Orange Coast College (80% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Orange Coast College students is 9.7% larger than aid received by Sierra College students ($5,493 vs. $5,006).

Orange Coast College vs. Sierra College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Orange Coast College or Sierra 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 Sierra College and Orange Coast College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Orange Coast College - Open admission; Sierra College - Open admission.

Orange Coast College vs. Sierra College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Orange Coast College and Sierra 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 Orange Coast College earn a median of about $6,100 more per year than Sierra College graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $36,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Orange Coast College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sierra College students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 32%)

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.