Santa Barbara City College
- Graduation Rate
- 34% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $47,647 B-
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $11,315 B
- 34% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 9,889
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 31.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $31.1 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $31.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,361,251.
What The Data Says
-
A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
-
Graduation of 34% — 40% below the national average.
-
Every $1 invested returns $31.1 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.4%
- Top 59%
- Patents
- 23
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 205
- Downstream influence
Why Santa Barbara City College Matters
Santa Barbara City College is a public community college in Santa Barbara, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 9,889
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Social Sciences, Communications, Health Professions
Why students choose Santa Barbara City College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $11,315 a year after grants and scholarships — 34% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $47,647 ten years after enrolling — 17% above the typical college, against $11,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.8% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 35% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.45 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Nearly 10,000 students choose Santa Barbara City College every year for its community-centered approach to education. The college focuses on providing accessible pathways to higher learning, catering to a diverse student population. With a graduation rate of 34%, it reflects the challenges many students face in completing their degrees.
Data from Opportunity Insights shows that while mobility metrics are not disclosed, the college serves a significant number of students from low-income backgrounds. With 18% of students receiving Pell Grants, SBCC plays a vital role in supporting those who may need financial assistance. The earnings of graduates after ten years average $47,647, suggesting that a degree from this institution can lead to a stable income.
The net price of attendance is $11,315, making it a relatively affordable option in California. With a median debt of $11,000, students can graduate with manageable financial obligations. Those who thrive here often pursue programs in Humanities, Social Sciences, Business & Marketing, Communications, and Health Professions, aligning their studies with the demands of the workforce.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Santa Barbara City College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Santa Barbara City College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Santa Barbara City College, located in Santa Barbara, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
- Retention Rate
- 65%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 39%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $12,646
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 37:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.68
- First-Gen Students
- 46%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Santa Barbara City College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Santa Barbara City College is $10,432, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $11,315. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,333 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,240
- Out-of-State
- $10,432
- Avg Net Price
- $11,315
- Median Debt
- $11,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 18%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 4%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $9,333
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $10,868
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $11,536
- Family Income $110K+
- $19,544
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Santa Barbara City College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Santa Barbara City College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Santa Barbara City College earn a median of $47,647, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $35,744
- 8 Years
- $42,540
- 10 Years
- $47,647
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.23x
- Earning > $25K
- 53%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (405)
- 28%
- 100% (405)
- 28%
- 100% (405)
- 28%
- 100% (405)
- 28%
How Santa Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Santa Barbara City College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Santa Barbara City College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $11,315/year ($45,260 total). Graduates earn $47,647 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,406,511 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,361,251 (31.1× your investment). The median debt is $11,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 34% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $45,260
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,406,511
- Net Return
- $1,361,251
- ROI Multiple
- 31.1×
- Cost Per Year
- $11,315
- Median Debt
- $11,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 34%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Santa Barbara City College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Santa Barbara City College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.80%, well above the typical college. About 9.7% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $86,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.80%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 18.6%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 9.7%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $116,980
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
Santa Barbara City College produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 23 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.36%
- Top 59% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 23
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 205
- Downstream influence
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 0.11%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-2,855,449
Top Programs
The fields Santa Barbara City College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 46%
- Social Sciences 8%
- Communications 6%
- Health Professions 6% $93,963 early-career
- Business & Marketing 5%
- Psychology 2%
- Visual & Performing Arts 2%
- Mathematics & Statistics 2%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Santa Barbara City College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- B-AI/ML Engineer$156,000 · 23% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Computer Vision Engineer$145,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Santa Barbara City College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Santa Barbara City College, located in Santa Barbara, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Santa Barbara City College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Santa Barbara City College is $10,432, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $11,315. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $9,333 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $11,000 in federal student loans.
Is Santa Barbara City College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Santa Barbara City College earn a median of $47,647, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Santa Barbara City College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Santa Barbara City College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.80%, well above the typical college. About 9.7% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 18.6% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $86,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Santa Barbara City College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Santa Barbara City College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.45, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.08). Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Santa Barbara City College.
- Bergen Community CollegeParamus, NJ · Close peer22% grad $46,624 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar net price
- Brookdale Community CollegeLincroft, NJ · Close peer29% grad $44,379 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Cabrillo CollegeAptos, CA · Close peer38% grad $44,114 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Los Angeles Pierce CollegeWoodland Hills, CA · Close peer44% grad $44,521 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · same state
- Monterey Peninsula CollegeMonterey, CA · Close peer35% grad $42,176 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- San Jose City CollegeSan Jose, CA · Close peer33% grad $46,215 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Santa Barbara City College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Santa Barbara City College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.45, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.08). Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note