SBCC vs. Sierra College

Deciding between Santa Barbara City College and Sierra 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
  • Sierra College Rocklin, CA
  • Setting
  • SBCC Small City
  • Sierra College Rural Fringe
  • Total enrollment
  • SBCC 12,334
  • Sierra College 19,125
  • Type
  • SBCC Public 2 Year
  • Sierra College Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • SBCC
  • Sierra College
  • Religious Affiliation
  • SBCC -
  • Sierra College -
  • Status
  • SBCC Non-profit
  • Sierra College Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • SBCC
  • Sierra College

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • SBCC $1,240
  • Sierra College $1,446
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • SBCC $10,432
  • Sierra College $1,446
  • Room & Board
  • SBCC $22,086
  • Sierra College $13,631
  • Average Net Price
  • SBCC $14,186
  • Sierra College $10,285
  • Average Grant Aid
  • SBCC $5,889
  • Sierra College $5,006
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • SBCC 41%
  • Sierra College 80%

  • Admissions

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

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • SBCC 24:1
  • Sierra College 25:1
  • Popular Majors
  • SBCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
    • General Studies (13%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Business (4%)
    • Social Sciences (3%)
  • Sierra College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
    • Business (17%)
    • General Studies (12%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • SBCC -
  • Sierra College -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • SBCC $40,400
  • Sierra College $36,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • SBCC 39%
  • Sierra College 32%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • SBCC $9,500
  • Sierra College N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • SBCC $98
  • Sierra College N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • SBCC 45%
  • Sierra College 46%
  • % Women
  • SBCC 55%
  • Sierra College 54%
  • Racial Diversity
  • SBCC High
  • Sierra College High
  • HBCU
  • SBCC No
  • Sierra College No
  • % White
  • SBCC 41%
  • Sierra College 58%
  • % Asian
  • SBCC 5%
  • Sierra College 5%
  • % Black
  • SBCC 4%
  • Sierra College 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • SBCC 33%
  • Sierra College 27%
  • % Native American
  • SBCC 0%
  • Sierra College 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • SBCC 0%
  • Sierra College 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • SBCC 5%
  • Sierra College 5%
  • % International
  • SBCC 9%
  • Sierra College 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • SBCC 2%
  • Sierra College 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • SBCC 81%
  • Sierra College 99%
  • % Out-of-State
  • SBCC 0%
  • Sierra College 1%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, 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 SBCC based on total student enrollment (19,125 students vs. 12,334 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Santa Barbara City College is located in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting); Sierra College is in Rocklin, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
  • Santa Barbara City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Sierra College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Santa Barbara City College 24:1; Sierra College 25:1.

SBCC vs. Sierra College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SBCC 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 Sierra College than SBCC ($10,285 vs. $14,186).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sierra College are 38.3% lower than at Santa Barbara City College ($13,631 vs. $22,086).
  • Sierra College is 16.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than SBCC (about $206 more per year; $1,446.00 vs. $1,240.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 621.4% higher at SBCC than at Sierra College (about $8,986 more per year; $10,432.00 vs. $1,446.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sierra College than at Santa Barbara City College (80% vs. 41%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Barbara City College students is 17.6% larger than aid received by Sierra College students ($5,889 vs. $5,006).

SBCC vs. Sierra College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SBCC 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 SBCC.

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

SBCC vs. Sierra College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SBCC 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 Santa Barbara City College earn a median of about $4,300 more per year than Sierra College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $36,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More SBCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sierra College students, three years after graduation. (39% 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.