Santa Barbara City College

Yes, the community college has both traditional and online courses available. SBCC’s online associate degrees and certificate programs are delivered 100% online. And according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 43% of undergraduates are exclusively enrolled in online courses. 

Many consider SBCC a good community college for students who want to earn online associate degrees. SBCC has received several awards and recognition for delivering high quality education to its students. For example, SBCC’s teaching faculty has received state and national recognition from the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, the American Library Association, the Association of Community Colleges Trustees, and many others. SBCC has also received recognition for its student success programs, like the Express to Student Program. These recognitions show that SBCC prioritizes high quality education for its traditional and online students. 

Yes, prospective students can rest assured that their future employers will honor online degrees awarded by SBCC. The best way to determine the legitimacy of a school’s online degree is to look at its accreditation status. An accredited college or university meets the requirements to deliver online and traditional programs to undergraduate and graduate students. SBCC is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), a national accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 

At OnlineU, we only include accredited online colleges and universities on our site. 

The community college is known for being a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), having top-notch programs, and its School of Extended Learning.

SBCC is a Hispanic-Serving Institution

Part of SBCC’s mission is “committed to fostering an equitable, inclusive, respectful, participatory, and supportive community dedicated to the success of every student.” With this in mind, SBCC is recognized as an HSI, which means that it has at least 25% or more of its full-time undergraduates identifying as Hispanic. 

As an HSI, SBCC expands educational opportunities and enhances the academic experience for Hispanic students.

SBCC’s School of Extended Learning

SBCC’s School of Extended Learning provides educational and community programs designed for adult learners. These programs help students develop career and life skills. In addition, the School of Extended Learning offers courses that can be transferred to a traditional or online associate degree program at SBCC. Their noncredit courses are available in-person, online, or in hybrid formats. 

Which Degrees at SBCC Provide the Highest Earnings for Graduates?

According to the U.S. Department of Education, SBCC's associate degree that provides the highest annual median earnings for graduates is the health and medical administrative service program. Graduates generally earn ~$39,300 about three years after graduation. 

In this field of study, SBCC offers two online associate degree programs: an Associate of Science in Health Information Technology and an Associate of Science in Cancer Information Management.

SBCC’s acceptance rate is 100%, which means it has an open admissions policy. In other words, every student who completes an application for SBCC is admitted into their chosen program. Students with low academic performance or poor test scores may find more success when applying to an open admission institution, like SBCC. 

To be considered for admission into one of SBCC’s online associate degree programs, prospective students must complete the online application process. Applicants must have a high school transcript, a personal email address, and social security number to apply. 

Here’s a checklist for applying to SBCC:

• Create a CCCApply account.
• Submit a completed application online. (Applicants also have the option to complete the application in person at SBCC’s campus.)
• Send transcripts to SBCC’s Office of Admissions and Records. 

Certain online programs may require additional documentation to support the application. Applicants who need assistance completing the application can contact SBCC’s live technical consultants, who are available 24/7 during major holidays.