2023 Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region
There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools and bootcamps that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
Along with in-depth profiles of schools and the programs they offer, Course Advisor has created the Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region to help you in your search for the best school for you. This report analyzed 345 schools in the Far Western US Region to see which ones were the most popular associate degree programs for students. To create this ranking we looked at how many students graduated from each school on the list.
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Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region
Learn more about these popular schools below:
Our analysis found Pasadena City College to be the most popular school for students who want to pursue a associate degree in the Far Western US Region . Pasadena City College is located in Pasadena, California and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 7,730 associate degrees to qualified students.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,212 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Pasadena City College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,596. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,830 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 56% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Pasadena City College. In fact, around 100% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Sierra College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Rocklin, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 4,776 students in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,156 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Sierra College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,900. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,268 in student loans. Around 68% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Sierra College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 56% took at least some of their classes online.
A rank of #3 on this year’s list means Bakersfield College is a great place for students working on their associate degree. Located in Bakersfield, California, the large public school handed out 4,389 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $1,430 in tuition and fees if they attend Bakersfield College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,380. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,475 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 69% were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Bakersfield College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 97% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
The excellent associate degree programs at Riverside City College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the most popular schools in the Far Western US Region . Located in Riverside, California, the fairly large public school awarded 4,223 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Riverside City College is $1,420. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $10,120. Associate Degree recipients from Riverside City College accumulate an average of $10,247 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 67% of those degree recipients were women.
One thing to take note of is that Riverside City College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 37% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Out of the 345 schools in the Far Western US Region that were part of this year’s ranking, Golden West College landed the # 5 spot on the list. Located in Huntington Beach, California, the fairly large public school awarded 4,131 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Golden West College is $1,186. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,554. On average, associate degree students take out $13,650 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 61% of those degree recipients were women.
Golden West College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 77% took at least some of their classes online.
East Los Angeles College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #6 on the list. East Los Angeles College is a large public school situated in Monterey Park, California. It awarded 4,018 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at East Los Angeles College is $1,238. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,012. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $11,943 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 69% were women.
East Los Angeles College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2019-2020 about 41% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Mt. San Antonio College ranked #7 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Walnut, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 3,976 students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $1,352 in tuition and fees if they attend Mt. SAC full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $10,032. On average, associate degree students take out $10,559 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 62% of those degree recipients were women.
Mt. SAC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2019-2020 year, about 69% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #8, Santa Monica College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their associate degree. SMC is located in Santa Monica, California and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 3,921 associate degrees to qualified students.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,146 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend SMC. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $9,090. On average, associate degree students take out $13,428 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 63% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at SMC. In 2019-2020 about 45% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #9, Chaffey College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their associate degree. Chaffey College is a fairly large public school situated in Rancho Cucamonga, California. It awarded 3,883 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Chaffey College is $1,184. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,960. Associate Degree recipients from Chaffey College accumulate an average of $9,680 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 67% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Chaffey College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 99% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Portland Community College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree programs. Portland Community College is a large public school situated in Portland, Oregon. It awarded 3,703 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $4,810 in tuition and fees if they attend Portland Community College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $9,670. Associate Degree recipients from Portland Community College accumulate an average of $24,561 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 58% were women.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at Portland Community College. In 2019-2020 about 94% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Fullerton College ranked #11 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Fullerton, California is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 3,422 students in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,154 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Fullerton College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,514. Around 66% of those degree recipients were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Fullerton College. In 2019-2020 about 36% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Moorpark College landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree programs. Moorpark College is a fairly large public school situated in Moorpark, California. It awarded 3,337 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from California who attend Moorpark College full time pay an average of $1,394 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $7,398. Associate Degree recipients from Moorpark College accumulate an average of $17,214 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 63% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Moorpark College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2019-2020 year, about 89% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
College of Southern Nevada came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Las Vegas, Nevada, the large public school awarded 3,360 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from Nevada pay an average of $3,848 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend CSN. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $11,534. Associate Degree recipients from CSN accumulate an average of $14,367 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 64% were women.
Online courses are available at CSN, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In fact, around 66% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
El Camino College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #14 on the list. Located in Torrance, California, the fairly large public school awarded 3,273 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at El Camino College is $1,144. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,008. Around 60% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at El Camino College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 92% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #15, Santa Barbara City College did quite well on this year’s most popular schools for students working on their associate degree. SBCC is a public institution located in Santa Barbara, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 3,238 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $1,232 in tuition and fees if they attend SBCC full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,912. On average, associate degree students take out $21,459 in loans while pursuing their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 65% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at SBCC. In 2019-2020 about 59% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
College of the Canyons did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #16 on the list. This fairly large public school is located in Santa Clarita, California, and it awarded 3,200 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $1,146 in tuition and fees if they attend College of the Canyons full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,682. Associate Degree recipients from College of the Canyons accumulate an average of $13,439 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 63% were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at College of the Canyons. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 55% took at least some of their classes online.
Mt. San Jacinto College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in San Jacinto, California, the fairly large public school awarded 3,195 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,406 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend MSJC. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $11,276. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $9,865 in student loans. Around 68% of those degree recipients were women.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since MSJC does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 18% took at least some of their classes online.
Saddleback College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #18 on the list. Saddleback College is a fairly large public school located in Mission Viejo, California that handed out 3,190 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from California who attend Saddleback College full time pay an average of $1,332 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $10,292. Of those students who received their degree, 60% were women.
Saddleback College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 89% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
San Joaquin Delta College ranked #19 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Delta is a public institution located in Stockton, California. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 2,676 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
On average, associate degree students take out $12,761 in loans while pursuing their degree. Around 68% of those degree recipients were women.
Delta does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 100% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Irvine Valley College ranked #20 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Located in Irvine, California, the fairly large public school awarded 2,665 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Students from California who attend Irvine Valley College full time pay an average of $1,146 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,826. Of those students who received their degree, 55% were women.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Irvine Valley College. In fact, around 56% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
American River College landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the most popular associate degree programs. American River is located in Sacramento, California and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,644 associate degrees to qualified students.
By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,093 in student loans. Of those students who received their degree, 65% were women.
American River does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 62% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Allan Hancock College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #22 on the list. Santa Maria, California is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 2,597 students in 2020-2021.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,146 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Allan Hancock College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,842. Associate Degree recipients from Allan Hancock College accumulate an average of $16,275 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 65% were women.
Allan Hancock College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 37% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Santa Ana College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the most popular places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #23 on the list. SAC is a large public school situated in Santa Ana, California. It awarded 2,577 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Students from California who attend SAC full time pay an average of $1,180 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,684. Associate Degree recipients from SAC accumulate an average of $11,579 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Around 66% of those degree recipients were women.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at SAC. During the 2019-2020 year, about 49% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Ventura College ranked #24 on this year’s Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region list. Ventura College is located in Ventura, California and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,576 associate degrees to qualified students.
Full-time students from California pay an average of $1,394 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Ventura College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,398. Associate Degree recipients from Ventura College accumulate an average of $14,425 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 66% were women.
One thing to take note of is that Ventura College does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 79% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Long Beach City College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region ranking. Located in Long Beach, California, the large public school awarded 2,552 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
In-state students pay an average of $1,556 in tuition and fees if they attend Long Beach City College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $11,444. Associate Degree recipients from Long Beach City College accumulate an average of $9,172 in student debt by the time they complete their degree. Of those students who received their degree, 63% were women.
Long Beach City College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 98% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Rest of the Top 50 Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region
Not only did these schools make the top 50 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:
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Rest of the Top 15% Most Popular Associate Degree Schools in the Far Western US Region
To learn more about the schools below, just click on their names:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | Coastline Community College | Fountain Valley, CA |
Honorable Mentions
These schools also performed well in our most popular schools ranking:
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 53 | Merced College | Merced, CA |
| 54 | Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom | Lakewood, WA |
| 55 | Solano Community College | Fairfield, CA |
| 56 | Lane Community College | Eugene, OR |
| 57 | San Diego Mesa College | San Diego, CA |
| 58 | Clark College | Vancouver, WA |
| 59 | Los Angeles City College | Los Angeles, CA |
| 60 | Moreno Valley College | Moreno Valley, CA |
| 61 | Santiago Canyon College | Orange, CA |
| 62 | Truckee Meadows Community College | Reno, NV |
| 63 | Los Medanos College | Pittsburg, CA |
| 64 | West Valley College | Saratoga, CA |
| 65 | Victor Valley College | Victorville, CA |
| 66 | Chemeketa Community College | Salem, OR |
| 67 | Everett Community College | Everett, WA |
| 68 | College of the Desert | Palm Desert, CA |
| 69 | Chabot College | Hayward, CA |
| 70 | Hartnell College | Salinas, CA |
| 70 | Cuesta College | San Luis Obispo, CA |
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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