Columbia Junior College vs. Golden West College

Comparable Facts

Compare Columbia College in Sonora, CA with Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Golden West College is larger than Columbia Junior College based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 2,828 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Columbia College is located in Sonora, CA (Remote Town setting); Golden West College is in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Columbia College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Columbia College 21:1; Golden West College 29:1.

Columbia Junior College vs. Golden West College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbia Junior College or Golden West 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 Golden West College than Columbia Junior College ($6,681 vs. $12,358).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 6.6% lower than at Golden West College ($22,086 vs. $23,659).
• Golden West College is 7.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Columbia Junior College (about $98 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,282.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 25.5% higher at Golden West College than at Columbia College (about $2,364 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $9,264.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Golden West College than at Columbia College (82% vs. 74%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 11.9% larger than aid received by Columbia College students ($6,849 vs. $6,119).

Columbia Junior College vs. Golden West College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia Junior College or Golden West 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 Golden West College and Columbia Junior College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Columbia Junior College - Open admission; Golden West College - Open admission.

Columbia Junior College vs. Golden West College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Columbia Junior College and Golden West 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 Golden West College earn a median of about $6,600 more per year than Columbia Junior College graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,000 vs. $30,400), 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.