Public Associate Strong 71/100

Ventura College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Ventura, California

About Ventura College

Thinking about Ventura College, a college in California where more students graduate in Liberal Arts than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Ventura College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Ventura, California. It enrolls 10,150 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
Open
Graduation
16.7%
Net Price
—
Median Earnings (10yr)
$43,430
Enrollment
10,150
Student : Faculty
27:1

Accreditor Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Strong
71/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes 57
Value —
Affordability 62
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, Ventura College admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.

Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. Ventura College has not reported one, so ask the financial aid office for a written estimate before comparing it against anywhere else.

Average Net Price
—
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
26%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
1%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$1,426
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$9,615
Room & Board (off-campus)
$22,086
Books & Supplies
$1,062
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,968
Total Cost of Attendance
$9,306

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $-1,913
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $-2,393
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $524
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $4,165
  • Over $110,000
    $6,577

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$2,000
10% percentile
$3,500
25% percentile
$13,876
Median percentile
$12,767
75% percentile
$21,000
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $6,665 ↓ $7,211
No Pell $5,500 ↓ $8,376
Dependent students $5,075 ↓ $8,801
Independent students $9,399 ↓ $4,477
Female students $8,000 ↓ $5,876
Male students $5,500 ↓ $8,376
Pell recipients: 16.6% (2,304 students)No Pell: 13.7% (1,901 students)Dependent students: 12.6% (1,754 students)Independent students: 23.4% (3,249 students)Female students: 19.9% (2,766 students)Male students: 13.7% (1,901 students)Overall Median$13,876
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,125, less than completers ($13,876), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

17% of students who start here finish within six years, and 75% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
17%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
75%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $43,430 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$43,430
Earning > $25K
68%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$33,000$36,000$39,000$42,000$45,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$36,400

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$45,400

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $9,000, about 20% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 29.9 pts across 6 years
49.6%1yr58.7%3yr64.5%5yr79.4%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 79% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 10,150 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 57% are the first in their family to go to college, and 69% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
10,150
Part-Time
69%
First-Generation
57%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 66.5% 6,753
White 20.6% 2,093
Other 5.2% 524
Asian 4.4% 450
Black 1.9% 190
International 0.4% 43
Hispanic: 66.5% (6,753 students)White: 20.6% (2,093 students)Other: 5.2% (524 students)Asian: 4.4% (450 students)Black: 1.9% (190 students)International: 0.4% (43 students)Total10,150

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Ventura College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Midsize City Ventura, California
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
27% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Interdisciplinary Studies graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Ventura College offers an extensive catalog of programs: 58 distinct programs across 26 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

2 Programs
4 Programs
5 Programs
3 Programs
7 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 27 students for every instructor here: high, so expect big lectures and to work harder for one-to-one time.

Student : Faculty
27:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$3,478
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$98,386
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

164 instructional faculty across 1 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Instructors 164 100% $98,386

Pros & Cons of Ventura College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Ventura College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Open admissions
  • First-gen-friendly student body
  • Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
  • Larger class sizes than typical
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • Modest first-year retention
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, Ventura College is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ventura College

The questions families ask most about Ventura College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Ventura College hard to get into?
Not especially. Ventura College admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Ventura College?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
What is Ventura College known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Biological and Physical Sciences. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Ventura College graduates earn?
About $43,430 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Ventura College accredited?
Yes. Ventura College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Ventura College?
10,150 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Ventura College?
17% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Ventura College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Ventura College located?
Ventura College is located in Ventura, California.
What programs does Ventura College offer?
58 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Biological and Physical Sciences. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Ventura College?
27 students per instructor. On the high side, so expect big classes and to seek out contact time yourself. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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