Pierce College vs. SBCC

Comparable Facts

Compare Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills, CA with Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Los Angeles Pierce College is larger than SBCC based on total student enrollment (16,906 students vs. 12,334 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Los Angeles Pierce College is located in Woodland Hills, CA (Large City setting); Santa Barbara City College is in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting).
• Los Angeles Pierce College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Santa Barbara City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Los Angeles Pierce College 30:1; Santa Barbara City College 24:1.

Pierce College vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pierce College or SBCC? 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 Barbara City College than Pierce College ($14,186 vs. $14,469).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 13.1% lower than at Los Angeles Pierce College ($22,086 vs. $25,407).
• Santa Barbara City College is 0.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Pierce College (about $2 more per year; $1,240.00 vs. $1,238.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.3% higher at Pierce College than at Santa Barbara City College (about $140 more per year; $10,572.00 vs. $10,432.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Los Angeles Pierce College than at Santa Barbara City College (71% vs. 41%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Los Angeles Pierce College students is 8.6% larger than aid received by Santa Barbara City College students ($6,398 vs. $5,889).

Pierce College vs. SBCC Admissions comparison

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

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Pierce College - Open admission; SBCC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Pierce College Aug 20, 2027; SBCC Aug 19, 2027.

Pierce College vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Pierce College and SBCC? 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 Barbara City College earn a median of about $600 more per year than Pierce College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $39,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Santa Barbara City College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Pierce College graduates ($9,500 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, SBCC graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Pierce College graduates ($98 vs. $108).
• More SBCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pierce College students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 33%)

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.