Match #1
College of San Mateo
San Mateo, CA
Profile closeness87/100
Admit rate—
- 7,977 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 41%, close to 42%
- Enrollment 7,977 students, close to 9,034
The colleges most similar to Golden West College are College of San Mateo, Cuesta College, and Folsom Lake College. Golden West College has an average net price of $5,433 a year; 9 of its 10 alternatives cost less, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Golden West College. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Golden West College
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Cuesta College
San Luis Obispo, CA
Profile closeness86/100
Admit rate—
- 7,180 students
- Public
- Suburb: Small
- Graduation rate 43%, close to 42%
- Enrollment 7,180 students, close to 9,034
Match #3
Folsom Lake College
Folsom, CA
Profile closeness85/100
Admit rate—
- 9,414 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 38%, close to 42%
- Enrollment 9,414 students, close to 9,034
Match #4
Ventura College
Ventura, CA
Profile closeness84/100
Admit rate—
- 10,150 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 42%, close to 42%
- Enrollment 10,150 students, close to 9,034
Match #5
Moorpark College
Moorpark, CA
Profile closeness83/100
Admit rate—
- 12,082 students
- Public
- Suburb: Midsize
- Graduation rate 42%, close to 42%
- Enrollment 12,082 students, close to 9,034
Match #6
Mission College
Santa Clara, CA
Profile closeness81/100
Admit rate—
- 5,784 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 40%, close to 42%
- Average net price $4,223, close to $5,433
Match #7
Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara, CA
Profile closeness81/100
Admit rate—
- 9,889 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 45%, close to 42%
- Enrollment 9,889 students, close to 9,034
Match #8
West Valley College
Saratoga, CA
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate—
- 6,416 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 41%, close to 42%
- Enrollment 6,416 students, close to 9,034
Match #9
Santiago Canyon College
Orange, CA
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate—
- 10,579 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 44%, close to 42%
- Enrollment 10,579 students, close to 9,034
Match #10
Citrus College
Glendora, CA
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate—
- 8,286 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 40%, close to 42%
- Enrollment 8,286 students, close to 9,034
Questions about Golden West College alternatives
What colleges are similar to Golden West College?
The closest matches to Golden West College are College of San Mateo, Cuesta College, Folsom Lake College, Ventura College, and Moorpark College. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Which Golden West College alternatives cost less?
9 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Golden West College ($5,433 a year), including Citrus College ($850), West Valley College ($1,033), and Santiago Canyon College ($2,040). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
