San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria
A good fit for students who want small classes and close faculty access and students from lower-income families. for-profit institutions have higher scrutiny — research carefully. 62% of students receive Pell Grants — strong access mission.
About This School
San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria is a private for-profit institution located in Santa Maria, California with approximately 114 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $26,983 per year. The graduation rate is 55%, and the typical graduate earns $33,400 within 10 years of enrollment.
This school is best suited for students in the Santa Maria area who want career-focused, hands-on training in healthcare or trades and need a smaller, more structured environment than a community college offers. The relatively low median debt at graduation — $10,674 — is a genuine bright spot, especially compared to many for-profit schools that saddle students with crushing loans. That said, the numbers tell a story worth taking seriously: a 55% graduation rate means nearly half of students who enroll don't finish, and median earnings of $33,400 a decade after enrollment are modest, making the $26,983 annual net price feel like a real stretch even with the manageable debt load. Before committing, I'd strongly encourage your family to tour the campus, ask specifically which programs have the strongest job placement rates, and compare this option against Santa Barbara City College or Allan Hancock College, both of which could offer similar career pathways at a fraction of the cost. If this school has the specific program your student needs and they're committed to finishing, the debt picture isn't alarming — but go in with eyes open.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Financial Aid
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 31% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria graduates earn most above the national rate in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants ($76,313 vs $62,755 nationally), and most below it in Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services ($37,439 vs $42,269).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | 19 | $76,313 | $62,755 | +$13,558 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | 6 | $37,439 | $42,269 | −$4,830 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 1 | $44,103 | $46,706 | −$2,603 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing an associate's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Strong return. Graduates earn well above their debt load.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (114 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Address
San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria
303 Plaza Drive
Santa Maria, CA 93454-6921
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria cost?
The average net price at San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria is about $26,983 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria?
San Joaquin Valley College-Santa Maria has a graduation rate of 55%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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