Match #1
Santiago Canyon College
Orange, CA
Profile closeness87/100
Admit rate—
- 10,579 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 44%, close to 45%
- Enrollment 10,579 students, close to 9,889
The colleges most similar to Santa Barbara City College are Santiago Canyon College, Ventura College, and Moorpark College. Santa Barbara City College has an average net price of $2,684 a year; 5 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 Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara City College
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Ventura College
Ventura, CA
Profile closeness86/100
Admit rate—
- 10,150 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 42%, close to 45%
- Enrollment 10,150 students, close to 9,889
Match #3
Moorpark College
Moorpark, CA
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate—
- 12,082 students
- Public
- Suburb: Midsize
- Graduation rate 42%, close to 45%
- Enrollment 12,082 students, close to 9,889
Match #4
Orange Coast College
Costa Mesa, CA
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate—
- 16,091 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 44%, close to 45%
- Average net price $1,850, close to $2,684
Match #5
Citrus College
Glendora, CA
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate—
- 8,286 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 40%, close to 45%
- Enrollment 8,286 students, close to 9,889
Match #6
Golden West College
Huntington Beach, CA
Profile closeness81/100
Admit rate—
- 9,034 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 42%, close to 45%
- Enrollment 9,034 students, close to 9,889
Match #7
Diablo Valley College
Pleasant Hill, CA
Profile closeness81/100
Admit rate—
- 15,358 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 47%, close to 45%
- Average net price $710, close to $2,684
Match #8
Merced College
Merced, CA
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate—
- 10,001 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Enrollment 10,001 students, close to 9,889
- Average net price $714, close to $2,684
Match #9
Folsom Lake College
Folsom, CA
Profile closeness80/100
Admit rate—
- 9,414 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 38%, close to 45%
- Enrollment 9,414 students, close to 9,889
Match #10
College of San Mateo
San Mateo, CA
Profile closeness79/100
Admit rate—
- 7,977 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 41%, close to 45%
- Enrollment 7,977 students, close to 9,889
Questions about Santa Barbara City College alternatives
What colleges are similar to Santa Barbara City College?
The closest matches to Santa Barbara City College are Santiago Canyon College, Ventura College, Moorpark College, Orange Coast College, and Citrus College. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Which Santa Barbara City College alternatives cost less?
5 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Santa Barbara City College ($2,684 a year), including Diablo Valley College ($710), Merced College ($714), and Citrus College ($850). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
