Santa Barbara City College, De Anza College and nearby West Valley College — these are just three of the most acclaimed community colleges in the country, with Santa Barbara ranked in the top 25 in the U.S.
Contrast the value of these schools with the current higher education landscape. In-state public college tuition has risen by 45% ($5,275 to $12,308) from 2005 to 2025, and 2-year community college transfer options are proving to be a huge money-saving option.
In California, the average in-state tuition for community college is $1,350 according to the Education Data Initiative. In contrast, the average tuition for a UC education is $20,134 for off-campus residency and $40,634 for on-campus tuition. Living expenses like paying for off-campus apartments and food can vastly increase the costs for schools like UC Berkeley and UCLA.
Despite these logical reasons to attend a community college, there is still a stigma against it at this school. In a poll conducted by the Saratoga Falcon, 46.2% of SHS students said that they had not seriously considered going to community college. They cited fears of not being able to get the full college experience at a community college as their main reason. They also said studying at a community college would not lead to the same job opportunities as studying at a 4–year university.
While a major concern for students is not having their desired “college experience,” multiple institutions such as Santa Barbara City College provide privately owned on-campus housing for students. Despite the on-campus residential cost totaling about $30,000, it’s still around $10,000 less than the UC on-campus tuition. Further, not all students want the “college experience,” and many would even prefer staying closer to home, making community college an extremely logical option.
Also, for students who want the ease of living close to home and exploring different career paths with greater flexibility than one would in a four-year institution, community colleges are a perfect fit. Former First Lady Jill Biden spoke highly of the multifaceted options that community colleges offer.
“Because of the flexibility community colleges afford, many students do not have to choose between an education and fulfilling other responsibilities — they can do both,” Biden said.
Additionally, according to UC Admissions, 10% of UC students are transfers, 91% of which hail from community colleges. So, going to community college doesn’t mean that a 4-year college is out of the quest. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. In 2022, the transfer acceptance rate to the University of Southern California was 23.6% according to College Transitions, as compared to the undergraduate acceptance rate of only 12%. Going to a community college may actually help someone with getting into their dream college.
With numerous highly respected community colleges in our area, it’s evident that attending one isn’t just an alternative to a 4-year university anymore — it can be the perfect option for anyone.
