
Santa Ana College (SAC) is one of the larger community colleges in California, offering Associate's Degrees, professional career training, and higher education for students planning to transfer to four-year universities. SAC boasts an award-winning faculty and provides a high-quality education at an affordable price. Academic and vocational study areas at SAC include business, science, technology, athletics, arts and entertainment. Smaller classes at SAC allow for individualized attention.
Students enrolled in one of SAC's occupational/vocational programs have opportunities to participate in field experiences through the college's Service Learning Center.
SAC Mission
The mission of Santa Ana College is to be a leader and partner in meeting the intellectual, cultural, technological, workforce and economic development needs of our diverse community. Santa Ana College prepares students for transfer, employment, careers and lifelong intellectual pursuit in a dynamic learning environment.
History
Santa Ana College was founded in 1921.
SAC had many Japanese American students through the early 1940s, and as part of the "California Nisei College Diploma Project, SAC is currently seeking information about its Japanese Americans students who were forced to interrupt their studies during World War II, when many of them were forced to enter internment camps. These students or their families will receive honorary diplomas at the SAC 2011 spring commencement.
Academics
Santa Ana College follows the semester calendar, with a fall, spring and summer semester. In addition to regularly scheduled on-campus classes each semester, there are "special interest schedules" that include 8-week classes, honors classes, online/TV classes, weekend classes, and Public Service Institute (PSI) Seminars.
Colleges and Schools
Because Santa Ana is a two-year community college, rather than schools or colleges, it has departments. The SAC academic and vocational education departments are:
- Academic Computing Center
- Accounting
- Art
- Auto Technology/Diesel
- Anthropology/Sociology/Women's Studies
- Biology
- Business Administration
- Business Applications
- Chemistry
- Child Development
- Computer Science
- Counseling
- Criminal Justice
- Criminal Justice Academies
- Dance
- Distance Education
- Economics
- Electronics Technology
- Engineering
- English/ESL
- Ethnic Studies
- Family & Consumer Studies
- Fashion Design & Merchandising
- Fire Technology
- Earth Science/Geology
- Geography
- History
- Human Development
- International Business
- Internet Courses
- Journalism
- Legal Assistant
- Library Technology
- Life Sciences (see Biology)
- Management/Marketing
- Machine Technology
- Mathematics
- Modern Languages
- Music
- Nursing
- Nutrition
- Occupational Therapy
- Paralegal
- Pharmacy Technician
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Reading
- Speech
- Speech Language Pathology Assistant
- Television Courses
- TV/Video Communications
- Theatre Arts
- Women's Studies
Student Life
SAC offers many student services, as well as opportunities for leadership and extracurricular activities. Student services include academic advising, counseling, a student development program, citizenship services, student organizations, a college bookstore, and more.
Athletics
The Santa Ana College athletics program includes many intercollegiate sports. The Santa Ana "Dons" compete in the following sports:
Men's Sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Track and Field
- Water Polo
- Wrestling
Women's Sports:
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
Community Life
Santa Ana College is part of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, with a main office in Santa Ana, CA. The college district dedicates efforts to researching the local community to gain a better understanding of its constituents. These efforts help with educational planning and the services offered to students and the community.
Estimated Costs & Financial Aid
The average "out of pocket" cost of attendance, after any grants and scholarships are considered, is around $6,000. In order to calculate a more accurate and detailed cost of attendance check out their cost calculator here. The figures listed below are for informational purposes only and do not represent current or future tuition, fees, and expenses.
Tuition & Fees Information
- Annual tuition estimates are:
- State Residents: $1,100-$1,300
- Out-of-State: $6,900-$8,237
- Part-time students are charged:
- In-State: $46-$55 per unit
- Out-of-State: $290-$340 per unit
Financial Aid Details
The table below breaks down the types of financial aid, the percent of students receiving aid, and average amount of aid per student per year.
Percent of Students | Average Amount | |
---|---|---|
Any Financial Aid | 82% | - |
Receiving Grants & Scholarships | 82% | $4,346 |
Receiving Student Loans | 1% | $3,556 |
Admissions, Academics, & Student Services
Student Services
To help support students, Santa Ana College may offer student services including:
- Distance learning
- Classes offered on nights and weekends
- Remedial courses
- Counseling assistance
- Student employment
- Day care
Graduation & Transfer Rates
Many community colleges are not only a source of technical or career training but also a stepping stone for students to transfer-out to a 4-year college, therefore we have included both graduation and transfer rates below and how this school compares against other community colleges in Orange County and the community colleges in California as a whole.
SAC | Orange County | California | |
---|---|---|---|
Graduation Rate | 23.0% | 29.4% | 24.3% |
Transfer-out Rate | 8.4% | 15.2% | 13.8% |
Specialized Programs & Accreditations
- Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN) Program
- Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. ? May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (since 1994)
- Find all the other nursing programs in California
- Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program
- Accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (since 1998)
Programs Offered
The program list below is organized by areas of study. The programs that have a link will direct you to the program's profile page where you can learn more about education requirements and career pathways.

Get more information about the programs offered by Santa Ana College by clicking the request information to the right.
(C) Certificate or Award | (A) Associate's | (B) Bachelor's | (M) Master's Degree | (D) Doctorate (PhD,...)
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Biology (A)
Business and Marketing Studies
- Bookkeeping (A, C)
- Business Administration (A, C)
- Office Management and Supervision (C)
- International Business (A, C)
- Administrative Assistant (A, C)
- Sales (C)
- Small Business Management (A, C)
- Retail Management (A, C)
- Sales Manager (A, C)
Communication Technology
- Audio and Video Production (C)
- Animation (C)
- Prepress , Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design (C)
Communications and Journalism
- Communications (A)
- Radio and Television (A, C)
- Advertising (C)
- Broadcast Journalism (C)
Computer and Information Sciences
- Information Technology (A, C)
- Computer Networking (C)
- Data Modeling & Database Administration (DBA) (C)
- Computer Support Specialist (C)
- Computer Science (A, C)
- Computer Programming (C)
- Computer Graphics (A, C)
- Web Design
- Computer and Information Systems Security
Education
- Teacher Assistant (TA) (A, C)
Engineering
- Pre-Engineering (A, C)
Engineering Technology
- Computer Aided Design (CAD) (A, C)
- Architectural Drafting cad (C)
- Manufacturing Engineering Technician (A, C)
- Engineering Technology (A, C)
English Language and Literature
- English (A)
Ethnic Cultural and Gender Studies
- United States Studies (A)
- Ethnic Studies (A)
- Women's Studies
Family and Consumer Sciences
- Child Care Provider (A, C)
- Apparel and Textiles Management (A, C)
- Apparel and Textile Manufacture (A, C)
- Family and Consumer Sciences (A)
- Nutrition and Wellness Studies (A)
Foreign Languages and Literature
- Spanish Language and Literature (C)
- Sign Language (C)
- Foreign Languages and Literatures (C)
Health and Clinical Professions
- Medical Assistant (A, C)
- Nursing (A)
- Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) (A)
- Audiology and Speech Pathology (A)
- Pharmacy Technician (A, C)
- Health Preparatory Programs (A)
History
- History (A)
Interdisciplinary Studies
- Biological and Physical Sciences (A)
Legal Professions and Studies
- Paralegal (A, C)
Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Liberal Arts (A, C)
- Humanistic Studies (A)
Library Science
- Library Assistant (A, C)
Mathematics and Statistics
- Math (A)
Mechanic and Repair Technology
- Auto Mechanic (A, C)
- Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology (A, C)
- Diesel Mechanic (A, C)
Philosophy and Religious Studies
- Philosophy (A)
Physical Sciences
Precision Production
Psychology
- Psychology (A)
Public Administration and Social Services
- Human Services (A, C)
Recreation and Fitness Studies
- Sports Medicine (A, C)
- Kinesiology And Exercise Science (C)
- Physical Fitness Technician (C)
Security and Protective Services
- Fire Prevention (A, C)
- Corrections Officer (C)
- Police Science (A, C)
Social Sciences
- Sociology (A)
- Political Science (A)
- Economics (A)
- Anthropology (A)
- Geography (A)
- Social Science
Visual and Performing Arts
- Art Studies (A)
- Music (A)
- Fashion Design (A, C)
- Dance (A, C)
- Graphic Design (A)
- Drama and Theatre Arts (A)
- Photography (A)
- Jewelry Design (C)
- Design and Visual Communications
- Theatre Design and Technology
Other Community Colleges Nearby
The list of nearby schools has been selected by researching which schools offer similar programs to Santa Ana College.
- Coastline Community College in Fountain Valley, CA (4 miles away)
- Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA (6 miles away)
- Santiago Canyon College in Orange, CA (6 miles away)
- Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA (8 miles away)
- Fullerton College in Fullerton, CA (8 miles away)