SBCC vs. West Los Angeles College

Comparable Facts

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

Santa Barbara City College is larger than West Los Angeles College based on total student enrollment (12,334 students vs. 9,255 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Santa Barbara City College is located in Santa Barbara, CA (Small City setting); West Los Angeles College is in Culver City, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Santa Barbara City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. West Los Angeles College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Santa Barbara City College 24:1; West Los Angeles College 26:1.

SBCC vs. West Los Angeles College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SBCC or West Los Angeles 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 West Los Angeles College than SBCC ($11,164 vs. $14,186).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 13.1% lower than at West Los Angeles College ($22,086 vs. $25,407).
• Santa Barbara City College is 0.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than West Los Angeles College (about $2 more per year; $1,240.00 vs. $1,238.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1.3% higher at West Los Angeles 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 West Los Angeles College than at Santa Barbara City College (83% vs. 41%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Barbara City College students is 0.5% larger than aid received by West Los Angeles College students ($5,889 vs. $5,857).

SBCC vs. West Los Angeles College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SBCC or West Los Angeles College? 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 West Los Angeles 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; West Los Angeles College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: SBCC Aug 19, 2027; West Los Angeles College Jun 1, 2027.

SBCC vs. West Los Angeles College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for SBCC and West Los Angeles College? 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 $4,700 more per year than West Los Angeles College graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $35,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, West Los Angeles College and SBCC graduates have the same median loan debt ($9,500 vs. $9,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, West Los Angeles College and SBCC graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($98 vs. $98).
• More SBCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former West Los Angeles College students, three years after graduation. (39% vs. 26%)

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.