Saddleback College

28000 Marguerite Pky
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
Top Ranked (2024): View Rankings
  • Our mission is to provide access to learning opportunities that promote student success; to foster intellectual growth, individual expression, and character development; and to support a dynamic and diverse environment of innovation and collegiality.

School Highlights

Saddleback College serves 18,984 students (30% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 24:1 is higher than the state community college average of 21:1.
Minority enrollment is 47% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 74%.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 18,984 students
  • In-state tuition: $1,142
  • Out-state tuition: $5,702
  • Student:teacher ratio: 24:1
  • Minority enrollment: 47%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Top Rankings

Saddleback College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in California for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 805 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Saddleback College
(CA) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
805 staff
312 staff
This chart display total faculty of Saddleback College and community college average number of faculty in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Saddleback College has stayed relatively flat over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 24:1 has stayed the same over five years.
The Saddleback College diversity score of 0.64 is less than the state average of 0.71. The school's diversity has declined by 9% over five years.
Total Enrollment
18,984 students
7,900 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Saddleback College and community college average number of enrollment of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
24:1
21:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Saddleback College and community college average student staff ratio of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
5,621 students
1,661 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Saddleback College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
13,363 students
6,239 students
This chart display the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Saddleback College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
This chart display the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Saddleback College.
This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of CA.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
126 students
302 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
5,621 students
1,646 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Saddleback College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
54 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
13,363 students
6,288 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
10 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
140 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
n/a
n/a
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Saddleback College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2017-18 school year data.
% Asian
10%
13%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Saddleback College and the percentage of Asian community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hispanic
25%
45%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Saddleback College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
2%
5%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Saddleback College and the percentage of Black community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% White
53%
26%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Saddleback College and the percentage of White community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Two or more races
5%
4%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in Saddleback College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Non Resident races
1%
3%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in Saddleback College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
4%
4%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Saddleback College.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in CA.
Diversity Score
0.64
0.71
This chart display the diversity score of Saddleback College and the community college average diversity score of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
44%
35%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Saddleback College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
n/a
1.92%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$40,700
$34,700
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Saddleback College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of CA by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $1,142 is less than the state average of $1,993. The in-state tuition has declined by 14% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $5,702 is less than the state average of $7,120. The out-state tuition has declined by 46% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$1,142
$1,993
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of Saddleback College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$5,702
$7,120
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Saddleback College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
46%
86%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Saddleback College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$9,500
$10,500
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Saddleback College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$6,500
$6,239
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Saddleback College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
89%
Source: 2021 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

School Notes

  • We are one of California's top community colleges, known for our well-equipped high-tech learning centers and laboratories, challenging academic curricula, strong student support services, and high transfer rate to universities around the country. Our reputation for excellence continues to attract high quality faculty members and administrators from across the United States. At Saddleback College, students are our top priority. Class sizes here are small and students can expect to receive individual attention from their professors. There is a full range of counseling, career planning and job placement services, financial aid programs, as well as assistance for those with learning disabilities and/or physical limitations. We offer on-campus childcare, a fully staffed Health Center and a variety of tutorial programs. In addition, we have extensive programs and services for re-entry men and women, for older adults through our Emeritus Institute, and for professionals in need of continuing educational credits. We are a premier cultural, entertainment and recreational site in South Orange County. Throughout the year, Saddleback College hosts lectures by news makers and scholars, stages theatre productions and concerts, and screens classic and contemporary foreign films. This upcoming year marks the 29th anniversary of our award-winning Saddleback Civic Light Opera program. Our athletic department proudly boasts 19 intercollegiate teams with a solid reputation for success. In the past 3 decades the Gauchos have earned over 120 conference, state and national titles. The college is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges, of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Saddleback College cost?
Saddleback College's tuition is approximately $1,142 for In-State students and $5,702 for Out-State students.
What is Saddleback College's ranking?
Saddleback College ranks among the top 20% of community college in California for: Least expensive tuition, Largest student body and Highest graduate earnings (10 years post graduation).

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 18,984 students
  • In-state tuition: $1,142
  • Out-state tuition: $5,702
  • Student:teacher ratio: 24:1
  • Minority enrollment: 47%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For Orange County, CA public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $1,182 per year for in-state students and $6,344 for out-of-state students. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

Orange County, CA community colleges have a diversity score of 0.67, which is lower than the national average of 0.70. The most diverse community college in Orange County, CA is South Coast College. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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