Getting in
Saddleback College has an open admission policy: it does not turn applicants away on grades or test scores, though some courses can have their own requirements.
What it costs
| Tuition and fees, students from California | $1,156 |
| Tuition and fees, students from elsewhere | $11,956 |
| Books and supplies | $1,089 |
| Average full cost of a year (tuition, living, books), before aid | $33,837 |
| Average net price after grants and scholarships | $23,913 |
The net price is what students who got federal aid paid on average for a year after grants and scholarships were taken off (for a public college, students from inside the state). It is 7% above the median net price of colleges in California on this site ($22,336). International students are normally charged the out-of-state tuition and do not receive US federal aid.
Net price by family income
| Family income a year | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | $23,950 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $22,539 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $24,231 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $27,046 |
| Above $110,000 | not reported |
For students who received federal aid. A negative figure means grants were larger than the cost counted.
For an estimate that fits your own family, use the college's net price calculator.
Results
| Measure | This college | CA median | US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students who come back for a second year | 77% | 76% | 73% |
| Students who finish their degree (within one and a half times the normal length) | 51% | 51% | 49% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting | $51,222 | $53,420 | $53,132 |
| Median federal loan debt of those who finish | $10,500 | $17,297 | $19,994 |
Medians are the middle value of the colleges on this site in California and in the whole country. Completion and return rates count first-time, full-time students. Earnings and debt count students who received federal aid.
The students
17% of undergraduates receive a Pell Grant, the federal grant for students from lower-income families. 1% take a federal student loan. The undergraduate body is 55% women and 45% men. By undergraduate numbers it is number 30 of the 267 colleges in California on this site that report a size; the middle-sized one has 2,759.
Other colleges in California of a similar size
- Sacramento City CollegeSacramento, public
- Bakersfield CollegeBakersfield, public
- Chaffey CollegeRancho Cucamonga, public
- Fullerton CollegeFullerton, public
- Riverside City CollegeRiverside, public
- Southwestern CollegeChula Vista, public
Common questions
How much is tuition at Saddleback College?
Published tuition and fees are $1,156 a year for students from California and $11,956 for others. Most students with aid pay less: see the net price.
What is the graduation rate of Saddleback College?
51% of first-time, full-time students finish within one and a half times the normal length of the course.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.