Match #1
El Camino Community College District
Torrance, CA
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate—
- 19,210 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 38%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 19,210 students, close to 21,466
The colleges most similar to Pasadena City College are El Camino Community College District, College of the Canyons, and Saddleback College. Pasadena City College has an average net price of $16,993 a year; 3 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 Pasadena City 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 Pasadena City College
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
College of the Canyons
Santa Clarita, CA
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate—
- 15,832 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 43%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 15,832 students, close to 21,466
Match #3
Saddleback College
Mission Viejo, CA
Profile closeness76/100
Admit rate—
- 17,684 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 46%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 17,684 students, close to 21,466
Match #4
Riverside City College
Riverside, CA
Profile closeness72/100
Admit rate—
- 18,346 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Enrollment 18,346 students, close to 21,466
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #5
Orange Coast College
Costa Mesa, CA
Profile closeness71/100
Admit rate—
- 16,091 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 44%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 16,091 students, close to 21,466
Match #6
Cabrillo College
Aptos, CA
Profile closeness70/100
Admit rate—
- 8,002 students
- Public
- Suburb: Midsize
- Average net price $17,735, close to $16,993
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #7
San Diego Mesa College
San Diego, CA
Profile closeness70/100
Admit rate—
- 16,098 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 42%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 16,098 students, close to 21,466
Match #8
Las Positas College
Livermore, CA
Profile closeness70/100
Admit rate—
- 7,299 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 46%, close to 44%
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #9
San Diego Miramar College
San Diego, CA
Profile closeness70/100
Admit rate—
- 11,271 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 40%, close to 44%
- Same control type (public)
Match #10
Glendale Community College-California
Glendale, CA
Profile closeness70/100
Admit rate—
- 10,509 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 39%, close to 44%
- Same Carnegie classification
Questions about Pasadena City College alternatives
What colleges are similar to Pasadena City College?
The closest matches to Pasadena City College are El Camino Community College District, College of the Canyons, Saddleback College, Riverside City College, and Orange Coast College. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Which Pasadena City College alternatives cost less?
3 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Pasadena City College ($16,993 a year), including Orange Coast College ($1,850), Glendale Community College-California ($9,554), and El Camino Community College District ($13,761). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
