East Los Angeles College vs. SAC

Comparable Facts

Compare East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park, CA with Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

East Los Angeles College is larger than SAC based on total student enrollment (33,677 students vs. 27,248 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• East Los Angeles College is located in Monterey Park, CA (Small City setting); Santa Ana College is in Santa Ana, CA (Large City setting).
• East Los Angeles College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Ana College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: East Los Angeles College 33:1; Santa Ana College 33:1.

East Los Angeles College vs. SAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, East Los Angeles College or SAC? 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 Ana College than East Los Angeles College ($5,894 vs. $11,700).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Ana College are 12.9% lower than at East Los Angeles College ($22,126 vs. $25,407).
• East Los Angeles College is 4.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than SAC (about $58 more per year; $1,238.00 vs. $1,180.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.7% higher at SAC than at East Los Angeles College (about $184 more per year; $10,756.00 vs. $10,572.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Ana College than at East Los Angeles College (89% vs. 85%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by East Los Angeles College students is 4.9% larger than aid received by Santa Ana College students ($7,098 vs. $6,768).

East Los Angeles College vs. SAC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, East Los Angeles College or SAC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between SAC and East Los Angeles College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: East Los Angeles College - Open admission; SAC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SAC Apr 1, 2027.

East Los Angeles College vs. SAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for East Los Angeles College and SAC? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Santa Ana College earn a median of about $3,100 more per year than East Los Angeles College graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,500 vs. $34,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, East Los Angeles College graduates have a $1,684 lower median loan debt than SAC graduates ($5,816 vs. $7,500).
• Among borrowers, East Los Angeles College graduates have an estimated $17 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SAC graduates ($60 vs. $77).
• More SAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former East Los Angeles College 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.