Palo Verde College vs. SBCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Palo Verde College in Blythe, 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 Palo Verde College based on total student enrollment (12,334 students vs. 3,833 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Palo Verde College is located in Blythe, CA (Distant Rural setting); Santa Barbara City College is in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting).
• Palo Verde 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: Palo Verde College 22:1; Santa Barbara City College 24:1.

Palo Verde College vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palo Verde 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 Palo Verde College ($14,186 vs. $22,492).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 14.3% lower than at Palo Verde College ($22,086 vs. $25,767).
• Palo Verde College is 3.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than SBCC (about $48 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,240.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 23.5% higher at Palo Verde College than at Santa Barbara City College (about $2,448 more per year; $12,880.00 vs. $10,432.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Verde College than at Santa Barbara City College (92% vs. 41%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Barbara City College students is 89.3% larger than aid received by Palo Verde College students ($5,889 vs. $3,111).

Palo Verde College vs. SBCC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Palo Verde 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 Palo Verde College.

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

Palo Verde College vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palo Verde 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 $11,300 more per year than Palo Verde College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $29,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.