GCC vs. SAC

Deciding between Glendale Community College and Santa Ana 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.

Glendale Community College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • GCC Glendale, CA
  • SAC Santa Ana, CA
  • Setting
  • GCC Midsize City
  • SAC Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • GCC 12,075
  • SAC 27,248
  • Type
  • GCC Public 2 Year
  • SAC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • GCC
  • SAC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • GCC -
  • SAC -
  • Status
  • GCC Non-profit
  • SAC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • GCC
  • SAC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • GCC $1,191
  • SAC $1,180
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • GCC $10,935
  • SAC $10,756
  • Room & Board
  • GCC $22,086
  • SAC $22,126
  • Average Net Price
  • GCC $10,060
  • SAC $5,894
  • Average Grant Aid
  • GCC $6,418
  • SAC $6,768
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • GCC 85%
  • SAC 89%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • GCC -
  • SAC -
  • Admitted
  • GCC -
  • SAC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • GCC Open
  • SAC Open
  • Enrolled
  • GCC Open
  • SAC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • GCC
  • SAC
  • Typical ACT score
  • GCC
  • SAC
  • Average High School GPA
  • GCC -
  • SAC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • GCC -
  • SAC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • GCC Unavailable
  • SAC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • GCC
  • SAC
  • ACT Range
  • GCC
  • SAC
  • SAT Range
  • GCC
  • SAC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • GCC Open admission
  • SAC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • GCC
  • SAC Apr 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • GCC 28:1
  • SAC 33:1
  • Popular Majors
  • GCC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (25%)
    • Business (24%)
    • Health Professions (24%)
    • Social Sciences (6%)
    • Work and Family Studies (5%)
  • SAC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
    • Health Professions (12%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
    • Work and Family Studies (2%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • GCC -
  • SAC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • GCC $38,200
  • SAC $37,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • GCC 56%
  • SAC 47%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • GCC N/A
  • SAC $7,500
  • Median Loan Payment
  • GCC N/A
  • SAC $77

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • GCC 47%
  • SAC 58%
  • % Women
  • GCC 53%
  • SAC 42%
  • Racial Diversity
  • GCC High
  • SAC High
  • HBCU
  • GCC No
  • SAC No
  • % White
  • GCC 45%
  • SAC 21%
  • % Asian
  • GCC 10%
  • SAC 8%
  • % Black
  • GCC 3%
  • SAC 1%
  • % Hispanic
  • GCC 32%
  • SAC 50%
  • % Native American
  • GCC 0%
  • SAC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • GCC 0%
  • SAC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • GCC 3%
  • SAC 1%
  • % International
  • GCC 5%
  • SAC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • GCC 2%
  • SAC 15%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • GCC 93%
  • SAC 96%
  • % Out-of-State
  • GCC 0%
  • SAC 0%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare Glendale Community College in Glendale, CA with Santa Ana College in Santa Ana, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Santa Ana College is larger than GCC based on total student enrollment (27,248 students vs. 12,075 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Glendale Community College is located in Glendale, CA (Midsize City setting); Santa Ana College is in Santa Ana, CA (Large City setting).
  • Glendale Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Ana College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Glendale Community College 28:1; Santa Ana College 33:1.

GCC vs. SAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, GCC 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 GCC ($5,894 vs. $10,060).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Glendale Community College are 0.2% lower than at Santa Ana College ($22,086 vs. $22,126).
  • Glendale Community College is 0.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than SAC (about $11 more per year; $1,191.00 vs. $1,180.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 1.7% higher at GCC than at Santa Ana College (about $179 more per year; $10,935.00 vs. $10,756.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Santa Ana College than at Glendale Community College (89% vs. 85%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Ana College students is 5.5% larger than aid received by Glendale Community College students ($6,768 vs. $6,418).

GCC vs. SAC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, GCC 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 GCC.

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

GCC vs. SAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for GCC 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 Glendale Community College earn a median of about $700 more per year than SAC graduates about ten years after starting college ($38,200 vs. $37,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More GCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SAC students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 47%)

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.