Community CollegePublicHSI

Santa Barbara City College

Santa Barbara, California·Public, 2-year·Far West·sbcc.edu
Acceptance
Open admission
6-yr Graduation
34%
Total enrollment
12,334
peer median 17,333
Avg net price
$11,315
+$5.1k vs Community College
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About

Santa Barbara City College is a public community college located in Santa Barbara, California. The college operates multiple campuses, including Cliff Campus, Schott Campus, and Wake Campus, and serves a diverse student body with a notable focus on career and academic pathways, including online learning and extended education programs.

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

Overall completion
34%
Full-time retention
65%

Pell equity

0.8pp gap
Pell recipients
33%132 of 400
Non-Pell (all)
34%501 of 1482
Subsidized loan, no Pell
47%15 of 32
No Federal Aid
34%486 of 1450

Pell and non-Pell students graduate at nearly identical rates, a notably small equity gap.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

Of 110 Title IV programs, 3 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 107 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
110
Passing
3
2.7% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

110programs
  • Passing3 · 2.7%
  • No Data107 · 97.3%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
0
Safe
3
No data
107

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

3
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+97.7%
$71,351 vs $36,082
Allied Health Diagnostic Intervention and Treatment Professions
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+146.6%
$88,991 vs $36,082
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+181.6%
$101,616 vs $36,082

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

1
Registered Nursing Nursing Administration Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
16%
$15,832 debt · $101,616 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

Accredited since 1952Next review Mar 2023

Programmatic accreditations · 2

Action history · 12

  1. Aug 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (ADNUR) - Associate degree programs
  2. Jun 2023Renewal of Accreditation
    Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
  3. Oct 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology · Radiologic Technology (RAD) - Programs for radiographers
  4. Jan 2022Renewal of Accreditation
    Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
  5. Jan 2022Heightened Monitoring or Focused Review
    Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$9,333
$30–48k$10,868
$48–75k$11,536
$75–110k$15,381
$110k+$19,544

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$11,315
+$5,113vs Community College median $6,202
Federal loans
3.6%
In-state tuition
$1,240
Out-of-state
$10,432

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

In AY 2024–25, 2,543 students received $13.2M in Pell grants, alongside $4.4M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
2,543
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$13.2M
$13,229,329 total
Direct Loans
$4.4M
865 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

3k
20
2k
21
2k
22
2k
23
3k
24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$1.2M
356 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$2.0M
426 loan awards
Parent PLUS$1.3M
83 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Of 977 borrowers who entered repayment, 33 (3.3%) defaulted within three years above the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
3.3%
+1.0pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
977
Defaulted
33
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
12.6%
2017
12.6%
2018
13.3%
2019
3.3%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Santa Barbara City College

Top program areas ranked by completions.

Distinct CIP programs118
UndergraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

2,456 total completions
01Liberal Arts
79832.5%
02Multi/Interdisciplinary
35714.5%
03Social Sciences
34414.0%
04Communication
26610.8%
05Business
1927.8%
06Health Professions
1767.2%
07Psychology
1004.1%
08Mathematics
863.5%
09Visual/Performing Arts
712.9%
10Physical Sciences
662.7%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

Fall total
12,334
12-mo unduplicated
18,834
Undergraduate
18,834
Graduate
0

Gender split

Men
44%8,373
Women
56%10,461

Race / ethnicity composition

White
40.6%
Hispanic
38.2%
Two or more
6.1%
Asian
4.7%
Unknown
4.2%
Non-resident
3.3%
Black
2.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.2%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

Athletes
332
191 M · 141 W
Women athletes
42.5%
Athletic aid
$0
Total student aid
Budget
$3.1M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$0
$0
Recruiting expense
$0
$0
Head-coach salaries
$31K
$24K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 12

Football
75 M ·
$278K
Soccer
35 M · 31 W
$232K
Volleyball
21 M · 16 W
$223K
Baseball
37 M ·
$191K
Basketball
16 M · 15 W
$299K
Track and Field (Outdoor)
11 M · 10 W
$137K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.89
11 offenses · 12,345 students

3-year trend

0.392 yrs ago0.871 yr ago0.89Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
27
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
11
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Aggravated assault
6
Rape
1
Robbery
1
Burglary
1
Fondling
1
Motor vehicle theft
1

By location

11total
  • On campus4
  • Public property7

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
0
Dating violence
3
Stalking
3 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons10
Drugs230
Liquor00

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Data quality: 1 report was later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

Student-to-faculty
24.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
190

Santa Barbara City College vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Santa Barbara City College selected for federal comparison reporting.

GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectSanta Barbara City College
34%Open admission12,334$11,315Community College
Open admission11,720$10,345Community College
Open admission18,095$10,844Community College
Open admission21,859$2,424Community College
Open admission22,460$5,672Community College
Open admission10,429$4,135Community College
Open admission14,494$480Community College
Open admission12,926$11,911Community College
Open admission12,275$6,513Community College
Open admission20,123$4,976Community College
Open admission14,494$6,120Community College
Open admission17,228$8,312Community College
Open admission21,664$5,968Community College
Open admission25,567$3,206Community College
Open admission19,521$6,134Community College
90.8%17,437$11,453Community College
Open admission12,075$8,365Community College
Open admission14,440$5,311Community College
Open admission24,985$6,202Community College
Open admission12,472$5,040Community College
Open admission13,523$8,398Community College
Open admission14,583$0 or lessCommunity College
Open admission12,301$7,095Community College
Open admission17,096$7,203Community College
Open admission24,597$3,864Community College
Open admission21,730$8,377Community College
Open admission20,986$12,671Community College
Open admission19,973$5,258Community College
Open admission43,928$4,337Community College
Open admission24,609$8,759Community College
Peer group median34%90.8%17,333$6,202

Institutions like Santa Barbara City College

Explore the federal data for institutions in Santa Barbara City College's comparison group.

Santa Barbara City College Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research and Planning
Reports to Office of the Superintendent / President
Email
ir-group [at] pipeline.sbcc.edu
Phone
805-730-4781
Address
Administration Building, A-114

The Office of Institutional Research & Planning (IR) fosters and supports a college-wide culture of inquiry and evidence to inform decision-making for mission-focused, student-centered institutional transformation.

Visit IR office page
Team
4 members
  • Keller Magenau, Ph.D.
    Executive Director
  • Melanie Rogers, M.A.
    Senior Researcher
  • Jordan Morris, B.S.
    Senior Research Data Warehouse Specialist
  • Nicole Oldendick, M.S.
    Researcher, Career Education

Reports & documents (4)

Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.

Grants & funding (1)

Federal grant awards and open funding opportunities awarded to this institution.

Notable alumni of Santa Barbara City College (9)

A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.

  • Dylan Axelrod
    Athletics
  • Ben Howland
    Athletics
  • Alma Martínez (footballer)
    Athletics
  • Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan
    Politics
  • Edward C. Noonan
    Politics
  • Chris Plante
    Media
  • Elliot Rodger
    Notorious
  • Grace Tame
    Advocacy
  • Richard A. Walker
    Academia

Frequently asked questions about Santa Barbara City College

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Santa Barbara City College.

What is the acceptance rate at Santa Barbara City College?

Santa Barbara City College does not have a reported acceptance rate. This institution has an open admission policy: it admits all applicants who meet basic requirements, so it does not report a selective admit rate.

What is the graduation rate at Santa Barbara City College?

Santa Barbara City College reports a 6-year graduation rate of 34% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Santa Barbara City College?

Santa Barbara City College reports a total enrollment of 12,334 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Santa Barbara City College?

The average net price at Santa Barbara City College is $11,315 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

Where is Santa Barbara City College located?

Santa Barbara City College is located in Santa Barbara, California 93109-2394.

Who runs Institutional Research at Santa Barbara City College?

Santa Barbara City College's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning, which reports to Office of the Superintendent / President.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
Federal Pell Grant & loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant and Direct Loan recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.

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