Sierra College

5100 Sierra College Blvd
Rocklin, CA 95677
Top-Ranked (2026-27): View Rankings
  • Sierra College provides a supportive learning environment to students with diverse goals, abilities, and needs. The College's programs and services promote personal and professional success, leadership, critical thinking, civic responsibility, and innovation. Its students will become contributing citizens of the complex and changing communities in which they live and work.

School Highlights

Sierra College serves 19,125 students (35% of students are full-time).
The college's student-teacher ratio of 42:1 is lower than the state community college average of 44:1.
Minority enrollment is 45% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 77%.

Quick Facts (26-27)

  • Enrollment: 19,125 students
  • In-state tuition: $1,150
  • Out-state tuition: $6,190
  • Student-teacher ratio: 42:1
  • Minority enrollment: 45%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Top Rankings

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

Category
Attribute
Community Size

School Overview

The teacher population of 453 teachers has declined by 43% over five years.
Sierra College
(CA) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associate's Colleges
Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Year Founded
1936
Total Faculty
453 staff
72 staff
School Calendar
AccreditationAccred.
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)

Student Body

The student population of Sierra College has grown by 9% over five years.
The student-teacher ratio of 42:1 has increased from 23:1 over five years.
The Sierra College diversity score of 0.63 is less than the state average of 0.71. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment
19,125 students
6,838 students

Showing 2012–2025. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

Student-Teacher Ratio
42:1
44:1
# Full-Time Students
6,631 students
1,022 students

Showing 2012–2025. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

# Part-Time Students
12,494 students
5,816 students

Showing 2012–2025. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

# Enrollment Undergraduate
19,125 students
2,055 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
6,631 students
967 students

Showing 2013–2025. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
12,494 students
5,850 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
121 students
140 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
1%
n/a
% Asian
9%
12%

Showing 2008–2025. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

% Hispanic
22%
46%

Showing 2008–2025. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

% Black
3%
7%

Showing 2008–2025. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

% White
55%
23%

Showing 2010–2025. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

% Two or more races
8%
5%
% Unknown races
2%
6%
Diversity Score
0.63
0.71

Showing 2011–2025. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
34%
42%

Showing 2015–2025. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$34,800
$34,300

Tuition & Financial Aid

The public in-state tuition of $1,150 is less than the state average of $1,238. The in-state tuition has stayed relatively flat over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $6,190 is less than the state average of $6,634. The out-state tuition has grown by 435% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$1,150
$1,238
Out-State Tuition Fees
$6,190
$6,634
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
81%
85%

Showing 2012–2025. Full 19-year historical data available below ↓

Median Debt for Graduates
$15,415
$10,500
Median Debt for Dropouts
$9,500
$6,272
Source: 2025 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators

School Notes

  • Sierra College is a fully accredited, two-year community college located in north central California. We serve Placer, Nevada and portions of El Dorado and Sacramento counties. Our primary campus is located in Rocklin just minutes from Sacramento. Other facilities include our 105-acre Sierra College Nevada County Campus in Grass Valley, and leased centers in Roseville and Truckee. At Sierra College our focus is on student learning and high quality teaching, not research or publication. Sierra College has a national reputation based on excellence in such academic areas as Computer Science, Math, Electronics, Nursing, Early Childhood Education and many more! We are 13th of all United States community colleges in awarding Associate Degrees – 1st in California. We also have the only nationally accredited community college Student Health Center. Our courses focus on the real life application of current issues and technologies, and are primarily taught by instructors with masters degrees in their fields. Many are experts in their fields and currently working in the private sector. Quality instruction contributes to Sierra College being ranked first in Northern California in transfers to the University of California and California State University systems. Online courses are available in our Distance Learning program. These are credit courses which allow you to complete much of your college studies from your own home, using the internet or television.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Sierra College cost?
Sierra College's tuition is approximately $1,150 for In-State students and $6,190 for Out-State students.
What is Sierra College's ranking?
Sierra College ranks among the top 20% of community college in California for: Largest student body.

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Quick Facts (26-27)

  • Enrollment: 19,125 students
  • In-state tuition: $1,150
  • Out-state tuition: $6,190
  • Student-teacher ratio: 42:1
  • Minority enrollment: 45%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For California public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $1,238 per year for in-state students and $6,634 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $18,639 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

The average community college acceptance rate in California is 80%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

California community colleges have a diversity score of 0.71, which is lower than the national average of 0.74. The most diverse community college in California is Young Americans College of the Performing Arts. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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