Ventura College
Ventura, CA 93003-3872
About Ventura College
Ventura College is a public community college in Ventura, California, with about 10,150 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about −$982 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $1,426. Student demographics in federal data include Hispanic or Latino (66.5%) and White (20.6%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Ventura College charges about 0.3× the national public median tuition ($1,426).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
- Average net price runs below the California median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 38.46%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $43,430.
Research findings
Finding
Average net price at Ventura College is negative: reported grant aid exceeds reported cost of attendance.
Published tuition is $1,426; average net price is −$982 in the latest Scorecard extract.
Interpretation: Institutional aid and grants compress sticker price into a substantially lower typical undergraduate cost signal.
Limitation: Average net price masks variation by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the campus average.
Finding
Ventura College awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 57 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ventura College | $1,426 | −$982 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| California (state median) | $8,093 | $8,343 | 287 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Why is average net price negative at Ventura College?
Key findings
- Ventura College's average net price (−$982) is negative, meaning reported grant aid exceeds reported cost of attendance.
- Ventura College charges about 0.3× the national public median tuition ($1,426).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
- Average net price runs below the California median net price.
Ventura College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $1,426
Finding Ventura College charges about 0.3× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $1,426. That is about 0.3× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the California median ($8,093), sticker tuition is about 0.2×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.1×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Ventura College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Ventura College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Ventura College is −$982.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is −$982 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $9,325 below the California median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $19,030 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Ventura College, grant aid reported to College Scorecard more than covers reported cost of attendance for the average aided undergraduate, so published tuition ($1,426) badly overstates typical cost.
Ventura College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Ventura College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$1,426
Out-of-state tuition
$9,615
Avg. net price
−$982
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | −$1,913 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | −$2,393 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $524 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $4,165 |
| $110,001+ | $6,577 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $5,704. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Ventura College is known for
Top program completions
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies2,293
- Biological and Physical Sciences434
- Humanities/Humanistic Studies349
- Business Administration and Management, General227
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other221
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Ventura College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Ventura College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Ventura College.
Campus
Location
Ventura, CA
City / state
- ZIP
- 93003-3872
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, tuition is about 0.1× the median for Suburban campuses.
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Far West
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional
Size
Enrollment
10,150
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 19,383
- Full-time share
- 31%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$13,876
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 26.22%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Ventura College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Ventura College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Ventura College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $1,388 | $7,050 | $2,980 |
| 2014 | $1,388 | $7,050 | $2,841 |
| 2015 | $1,388 | $7,050 | $2,572 |
| 2016 | $1,388 | $7,050 | $1,961 |
| 2017 | $1,388 | $7,050 | $1,961 |
| 2018 | $1,388 | $7,050 | $1,247 |
| 2019 | $1,394 | $7,398 | $1,514 |
| 2020 | $1,394 | $7,398 | $1,590 |
| 2021 | $1,398 | $8,146 | $874 |
| 2022 | $1,398 | $8,146 | $3,103 |
| 2023 | $1,416 | $8,179 | $2,257 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Ventura College reported total enrollment of about 10,150 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 43% male and 57% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (66.5%), White (20.6%), and Two or More Races (4.6%). About 26.22% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 56.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
30.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Ventura College in 2024 is 10,150 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 19,383 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
74.3%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
12.66% 100% Completion Time
38.46% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 12.66% of students graduating from Ventura College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 35% male / 65% female
- Biological and Physical Sciences: 34% male / 66% female
- Humanities/Humanistic Studies: 35% male / 65% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Ventura College graduates earn a median of $43,430 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Ventura College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $43,430. Median federal loan debt: $13,876. Average net price used in cost models: −$982.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Ventura College graduates report median earnings of $43,430 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Ventura College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (57 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Ventura College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Ventura College graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Ventura College—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 40.2%
- California median 0.9 pp above median (39.3%)
- Far West median 5.4 pp below median (45.7%)
- U.S. median 17.7 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $10,797
- California median 1.1× the median ($10,166)
- Far West median 1.1× the median ($9,635)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $5,768
- California median 0.89× the median ($6,474)
- Far West median 0.82× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 0.79× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
Ventura College at a glance
Ventura College
Ventura College is a public institution in Ventura, CA, classified as Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesBiological and Physical SciencesHumanities/Humanistic Studies
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino66.5%White or Caucasian20.6%Two or More Races4.6%
Schools near Ventura College
Other campuses in Ventura, CA when available, plus nearby institutions in California.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within California, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ventura College located?
Ventura College is located in Ventura, CA.
What is Ventura College's tuition?
Ventura College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $1,426 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is −$982 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Ventura College cost?
Reported tuition is $1,426 and average net price is −$982 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $22,086 annually.
Why is Ventura College's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Ventura College, published tuition is $1,426 while average net price is −$982—that is, reported grant aid exceeds reported cost of attendance for the average aided undergraduate. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Ventura College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price (−$982), completion (38.5% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($43,430). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Ventura College?
Ventura College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 19,383 students, Hispanic or Latino (66.5%), White (20.6%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Ventura College?
About 56.7% of students at Ventura College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Ventura College earn?
Median earnings are $34,084 six years after entry and $43,430 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Ventura College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 38.5% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Ventura College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $13,876.
Is Ventura College public or private?
Ventura College is a public institution located in Ventura, CA.
Is Ventura College an HBCU?
No. Ventura College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- California college profile
- California college costs
- California colleges by ROI
- California trade schools profile
- Ventura, California city profile
- Far West regional profile
- Suburban college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in California
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.