Side-by-side
Saddleback College vs University of California-Santa Cruz
The numbers that actually decide it — net price after aid, how hard each is to get into, and how many students finish — compared straight across. Net price beats sticker price every time.
Same s campus feel and a comparable size (18k undergrads vs 18k undergrads) — students often consider these side-by-side.
| Saddleback College | University of California-Santa Cruz | |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | — | 66% |
| Net price (in-state) what the average family actually pays after aid | $1,156 | $16,005 |
| Net price (out-of-state) | $11,860 | $50,205 |
| Sticker tuition (in-state) | $1,156 | $16,005 |
| Sticker tuition (out-of-state) | $11,860 | $50,205 |
| Graduation rate | — | 75% |
| Total enrollment | 17,684 | 17,940 |
Net price = sticker price minus the average grant aid for that school (IPEDS / Dept. of Education data). Real numbers vary by family income and student stats — verify each school's own Net Price Calculator before committing. Canonical: /compare/saddleback-college-vs-university-of-california-santa-cruz.