Santa Ana, California Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Santa Ana, California: median public in-state tuition $137,232 (+2307.6% vs national median) median graduate debt $18,058 (+33.8% vs U.S.) 23,822 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Santa Ana serve students across California with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 7 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 23,822 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $137,232. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Santa Ana, California and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Santa Ana vs California & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana, California | $137,232 | $18,464 | $18,058 | 58.2% | 23,822 |
| California (state median) | $1,334 | $7,373 | $11,888 | 57.0% | 2,131,219 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Santa Ana, California vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana, California | N/A | N/A | N/A | — | — | N/A | N/A |
| California (state median) | $72,184 | 92.4% | 83.9% | 3.8% | — | 74.5% | 0.26 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
Other cities in California (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana, California | $137,232 | $18,464 | $18,058 | 58.2% | 23,822 | N/A | N/A |
| Los Angeles | $19,196 | $26,276 | $19,151 | 70.2% | 120,534 | $78,572 | 92.3% |
| San Diego | $14,032 | $26,450 | $13,677 | 53.1% | 95,661 | $73,741 | 93.6% |
| Sacramento | $1,288 | $20,089 | $11,462 | 46.9% | 94,048 | $69,014 | 92.6% |
| Long Beach | $4,949 | $26,539 | $12,000 | 70.3% | 60,761 | $69,554 | 92.8% |
| Fullerton | $5,831 | $4,132 | $13,594 | 53.2% | 56,299 | $60,134 | 92.1% |
| Fresno | $8,224 | $21,108 | $11,411 | 53.1% | 54,532 | $64,448 | 92.7% |
| Riverside | $16,103 | $24,129 | $12,125 | 55.9% | 53,903 | $67,633 | 91.9% |
| Pasadena | $27,670 | $27,036 | $9,500 | 41.4% | 49,021 | $64,912 | 91.1% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
In-state tuition: Santa Ana, California vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Santa Ana, California median in-state tuition is $137,232, +2307.6% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Santa Ana, California vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Santa Ana, California is $18,058 (+33.8% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $11,888.
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Santa Ana, California median public in-state tuition is $137,232, about +2307.6% vs the national median. Versus the Far West region, tuition is +4078.8%.
Median graduate debt is $18,058 (+33.8% above the U.S. median of $13,500). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Santa Ana, California is 58.2% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Santa Ana?
This city profile covers 7 campuses in Santa Ana, California with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Santa Ana?
Median in-state tuition in Santa Ana is $137,232 and median net price is $18,464. For California overall, medians are $1,334 and $7,373; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Santa Ana?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Santa Ana is N/A vs $72,184 for California and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Santa Ana colleges?
Median completer debt in Santa Ana is $18,058 vs $11,888 for California and $13,500 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Santa Ana?
Among 7 campuses in Santa Ana, California, 5 campuses report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment in U.S. Department of Education data; examples include Santa Ana College, Career Networks Institute, and Santa Ana Beauty Academy; 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Other Protestant (1).
Sources & related
- California college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON