SAC vs. SBCC

Should I go to Santa Ana College or Santa Barbara City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SAC or SBCC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Santa Ana College vs. Santa Barbara City College comparison
Santa Ana College Santa Barbara City College College 3 College 4
Santa Barbara City College
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Overview

SAC SBCC
Location Santa Ana, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 23,852 12,675
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sac.edu sbcc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SAC SBCC
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $8,712 $8,760
Room & Board $19,302 $17,784
Avg Net Price $4,700 $14,180
Avg Grant Aid $7,374 $4,496
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 64%

Admission

SAC SBCC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2025 Aug 19, 2025

Academics

SAC SBCC
Student to Faculty Ratio 31:1 37:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Work and Family Studies (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (4%)
  • Social Sciences (3%)

Outcomes

SAC SBCC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,500 $40,400
Making Student Loan Payments 47% 39%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $9,500
Median Loan Payment $77 $98

Diversity

SAC SBCC
% Men 57% 44%
% Women 43% 56%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 41%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 50% 33%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 5%
% International 1% 9%
% Unknown Race 15% 2%

Students

SAC SBCC
% In-State 97% 80%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

SAC SBCC
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Ana College is larger than than SBCC based on total student enrollment (23,852 students vs. 12,675 students)

SAC vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SAC or SBCC?

  • Santa Ana College and SBCC cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($1,104.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.6% higher at SBCC than Santa Ana College ($8,760.00 vs. $8,712.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Ana College than SBCC ($4,700 vs. $14,180)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 8.5% lower than costs at Santa Ana College ($17,784 vs. $19,302)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Ana College than Santa Barbara City College (97% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Ana College students is 64% larger than aid received Santa Barbara City College ($7,374 vs. $4,496)

Which college is harder to get into, SAC or SBCC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SBCC or SAC .

SAC vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SAC or SBCC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SBCC and SAC.

  • Graduates from Santa Barbara City College earn on average $2,900 more per year than SAC graduates after ten years. ($40,400 vs. $37,500)
  • Santa Ana College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than SBCC graduates. ($7,500 vs. $9,500)
  • SAC graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than SBCC graduates. ($77 vs. $98)
  • More SAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SBCC students, three years after graduation. (47% vs. 39%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/