SBCC vs. CMC

Deciding between Santa Barbara City College and Copper Mountain Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Santa Barbara City College

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • SBCC Santa Barbara, CA
  • CMC Joshua Tree, CA
  • Setting
  • SBCC Small City
  • CMC Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • SBCC 12,334
  • CMC 2,019
  • Type
  • SBCC Public 2 Year
  • CMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SBCC
  • CMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SBCC -
  • CMC -
  • Status
  • SBCC Non-profit
  • CMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SBCC
  • CMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SBCC $1,240
  • CMC $1,390
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SBCC $10,432
  • CMC $13,570
  • Room & Board
  • SBCC $22,086
  • CMC $22,086
  • Average Net Price
  • SBCC $14,186
  • CMC $9,827
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SBCC $5,889
  • CMC $7,478
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SBCC 41%
  • CMC 93%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • SBCC -
  • CMC -
  • Admitted
  • SBCC -
  • CMC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • SBCC Open
  • CMC Open
  • Enrolled
  • SBCC Open
  • CMC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • SBCC
  • CMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • SBCC
  • CMC
  • Average High School GPA
  • SBCC -
  • CMC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • SBCC -
  • CMC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • SBCC Unavailable
  • CMC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • SBCC
  • CMC
  • ACT Range
  • SBCC
  • CMC
  • SAT Range
  • SBCC
  • CMC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • SBCC Open admission
  • CMC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • SBCC Aug 19, 2027
  • CMC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SBCC 24:1
  • CMC 18:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SBCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
    • General Studies (13%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Business (4%)
    • Social Sciences (3%)
  • CMC
    • Health Professions (30%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (28%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Social Sciences (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • SBCC -
  • CMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • SBCC $40,400
  • CMC $33,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • SBCC 39%
  • CMC 28%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • SBCC $9,500
  • CMC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • SBCC $98
  • CMC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SBCC 45%
  • CMC 36%
  • % Women
  • SBCC 55%
  • CMC 64%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SBCC High
  • CMC High
  • HBCU
  • SBCC No
  • CMC No
  • % White
  • SBCC 41%
  • CMC 52%
  • % Asian
  • SBCC 5%
  • CMC 4%
  • % Black
  • SBCC 4%
  • CMC 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • SBCC 33%
  • CMC 27%
  • % Native American
  • SBCC 0%
  • CMC 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SBCC 0%
  • CMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SBCC 5%
  • CMC 7%
  • % International
  • SBCC 9%
  • CMC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SBCC 2%
  • CMC 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SBCC 81%
  • CMC 90%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SBCC 0%
  • CMC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • SBCC No
  • CMC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • SBCC No
  • CMC No
  • Meal Plan
  • SBCC No
  • CMC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • SBCC Yes
  • CMC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • SBCC No
  • CMC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, CA with Copper Mountain Community College in Joshua Tree, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Santa Barbara City College is larger than CMC based on total student enrollment (12,334 students vs. 2,019 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Santa Barbara City College is located in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting); Copper Mountain Community College is in Joshua Tree, CA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Santa Barbara City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Copper Mountain Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Santa Barbara City College 24:1; Copper Mountain Community College 18:1.

SBCC vs. CMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SBCC or CMC? 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 Copper Mountain Community College than SBCC ($9,827 vs. $14,186).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Santa Barbara City College and CMC ($22,086).
  • Copper Mountain Community College is 12.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than SBCC (about $150 more per year; $1,390.00 vs. $1,240.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 30.1% higher at CMC than at Santa Barbara City College (about $3,138 more per year; $13,570.00 vs. $10,432.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Copper Mountain Community College than at Santa Barbara City College (93% vs. 41%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Copper Mountain Community College students is 27% larger than aid received by Santa Barbara City College students ($7,478 vs. $5,889).

SBCC vs. CMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SBCC or CMC? 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 CMC and SBCC.

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

SBCC vs. CMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SBCC and CMC? 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 $7,400 more per year than CMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More SBCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CMC students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 28%)

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.