Sierra College

www.sierracollege.edu

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$1,104

2021 Average Net Price

$5,921

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

4.54%

Default Rate

2021 Enrolled Students

15,773

35.2% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

36.2%

698 Graduates

About

Sierra College is a higher education institution located in Placer County, CA. In 2021, the most popular Associates Degree concentrations at Sierra College were General Social Sciences (859 degrees awarded), Biological & Physical Sciences (749 degrees), and General Health Services (572 degrees).

In 2021, 5,816 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Sierra College. 66.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 33.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (3,131 degrees), 1.99 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,574 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Sierra College is $1,104, which is $−6,864 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($7,968).

Associates Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional Associates Colleges

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at Sierra College is $1,104, which is $−6,864 less than the national average for Associates Colleges ($7,968).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $5,921.

In 2021, 58% of undergraduate students attending Sierra College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 2% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$1,104

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at Sierra College was $1,104. The cost of tuition at Sierra College is $−6,864 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Associates Colleges ($7,968).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Sierra College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$5,921

2021 Value

5.7%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 Sierra College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $5,921. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of Sierra College grew by 5.7%.

This chart compares the average net price of Sierra College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$10,585

Room and Board

$2,224

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Sierra College was of $10,585 in 2021. The cost of room and board did not change between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $2,224. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Sierra College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

58%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

58% of undergraduate students at Sierra College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 3.57% with respect to 2020, when 56% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Sierra College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

4.54%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at Sierra College was 4.54%, which represents 26 out of the 573 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Enrollment

Sierra College had a total enrollment of 15,773 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at Sierra College is 5,553 students and the part-time enrollment is 10,220. This means that 35.2% of students enrolled at Sierra College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Sierra College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 55.1% White, 24.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.05% Asian, 7.22% Two or More Races, 2.74% Black or African American, 0.539% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.406% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Sierra College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (29.9%), followed by White Male (23.9%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (13.8%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

35.2%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Sierra College in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 15,773 students. The full-time enrollment at Sierra College is 5,553 and the part-time enrollment is 10,220. This means that 35.2% of students enrolled at Sierra College are enrolled full-time compared with 32.5% at similar Associates Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Sierra College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

65%

2021 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Sierra College was 65%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Associates Colleges (60%), Sierra College had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Sierra College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
8,687 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
3,813 enrolled students
Asian
1,270 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Sierra College is 55.1% White, 24.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.05% Asian, 7.22% Two or More Races, 2.74% Black or African American, 0.539% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.406% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Associates Colleges is 44.1% White, 26.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 12.5% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 252 students (1.6%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 1,924 more women than men received degrees from Sierra College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Sierra College is white (3,131 degrees awarded). There were 1.99 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1574 degrees).

The most common Associates Degree concentration at Sierra College is General Social Sciences (859 degrees awarded), followed by Biological & Physical Sciences (749 degrees) and General Health Services (572 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Sierra College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Interdisciplinary Studies (749 degrees awarded), Social Sciences (1,047 degrees), and Communication Technologies (75 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Sierra College are Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (386,706 people), Other managers (349,912 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (271,176 people), Police officers (180,096 people), and Social workers, all other (174,320 people).

The most specialized majors at Sierra College in 2021 are Interdisciplinary Studies (749 degrees awarded), Social Sciences (1,047 degrees), Communication Technologies (75 degrees), Protective Services (333 degrees), and Psychology (435 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Sierra College are Surgeons, Physicians, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, and Chief executives & legislators

The most specialized majors at Sierra College are Interdisciplinary Studies (749 degrees awarded), Social Sciences (1,047 degrees), Communication Technologies (75 degrees), Protective Services (333 degrees), and Psychology (435 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Sierra College are Elementary & secondary schools (692,975 people), Justice, public order, & safety activities (526,612 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (414,534 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (373,334 people), and Legal services (328,760 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Sierra College.

Most Common (2021)

General Social Sciences
859 degrees awarded
Biological & Physical Sciences
749 degrees awarded
General Health Services
572 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common associates degree concentration at Sierra College was General Social Sciences with 859 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from associates degree programs at Sierra College according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,946

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

3,870

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 1,946 degrees were awarded to men at Sierra College, which is 0.503 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (3,870).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Sierra College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 245 degrees were awarded to men at Sierra College in Biological & Physical Sciences, which is 0.486 times less than the 504 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 796 degrees were awarded to men at Sierra College in General Health Services, which is 6.69 times more than the 119 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

16%

100% Completion Time

40%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 16% of students graduating from Sierra College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 40% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 47% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Associates Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (62.5%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at Sierra College is Female and Asian (62.5% graduation rate). Across all Associates Colleges, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.43% of graduates (3 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
3,131 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,574 degrees awarded
Asian
506 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Sierra College is white (3,131 degrees awarded). There were 1.99 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1574 degrees).

1.19% of degree recipients (69 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
2,084 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
1,082 degrees awarded
White Male
1,047 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Sierra College is white female (2,084 degrees awarded). There were 1.93 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino female (1082 degrees).

Operations

Sierra College has an endowment valued at nearly $10.3M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 541k (5.27%) compared to the 1.65% average return (87.6k on 5.29M) across all Associates Colleges.

In 2021, Sierra College had a total salary expenditure of 167M. Sierra College employs 246 Instructors. Most academics at Sierra College are Female Instructor (147), and Male Instructor (99).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Sierra College are: Office and Administrative Support, with 148 employees, Management, with 57 employees, and Service with 37 employees.

Endowment

$10.3M

2021 Endowment

32.3%

growth from 2020

Sierra College has an endowment valued at about $10.3M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of Sierra College grew 32.3% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $4.98M higher than than the median endowment of Associates Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Sierra College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Associates Colleges: High Transfer-High Traditional Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$5.11M - Federal
$24.2M - State
$3.51M - Local

As of 2021, Sierra College received $5.11M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $24.2M from state grants and contracts, and $3.51M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$66.6M

2021 Salaries

5.93%

decline from 2020

In 2021, Sierra College paid a median of $66.6M in salaries, which represents 39.8% of their overall expenditure ($167M) and a 5.93% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Associates Colleges is 16.4M (41.6% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$20.3M

Instructional Salaries

246

Number of Employees

In 2021, Sierra College paid a total of $20.3M to 246 employees working as instructors, which represents 30.5% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $5.1M (31.2%) for similar Associates Colleges.

Occupations by Share

Instructor

Most Common Instructor

246 Employees

Office and Administrative Support

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

148 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at Sierra College was Instructor with 246 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Sierra College were Office and Administrative Support with 148 employees, Management with 57 employees, and Service with 37 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Female Instructor
Male Instructor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at Sierra College was Female Instructor with 147 employees, and Male Instructor with 99 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at Sierra College.