California · Public · Predominantly associate's

Golden West College

Huntington Beach, California. 8,919 undergraduate students. 82 programs in the federal Field-of-Study dataset.

ANOMALY ENGINE · NOTABLE SIGNALS

What the data flags at Golden West College

Short-arc shifts (recent 3-year window), peer outliers, earnings trend breaks, completion drops, enrollment cliffs, and debt-to-earnings warnings — surfaced deterministically from the federal record. Multi-decade shifts are reported separately in the Long Arc section, since 25-year tuition drift isn't really an anomaly.

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE+36%

Out-of-state tuition

Out-of-state tuition at Golden West College rose 36% between 2021 and 2024 ($8.6k → $11.6k).

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE+35%

In-state tuition

In-state tuition at Golden West College rose 35% between 2007 and 2010 ($509 → $686).

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE+31%

Median federal debt at exit

Median federal debt at exit at Golden West College rose 31% between 2007 and 2010 ($3.1k → $4.0k).

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE-27%

100%-time completion

100%-time completion at Golden West College fell 27% between 2009 and 2010 (8.9% → 6.5%).

SECTION 01 · OUTCOMES SNAPSHOT

The numbers, vs. California

Each tile compares this institution to the California median for the same metric. Sub-line shows the comparison value, not an interpretation. Sparklines trace the federally available history.

MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10Y
$43,145+25% · 6→10y
California median $42,588
MEDIAN EARNINGS · 6Y
$34,462
Treasury earnings · 6y post-entry
COMPLETION · 150%
44.9%-39% · '97→'10
California median 61.3%
MEDIAN FEDERAL DEBT
$5,500+52% · '97→'10
At program completion
UNDERGRAD ENROLLMENT
8,919+46% · '96→'10
latest IPEDS
RETENTION
66.2%+4% · '04→'10
first-time, full-time
ADMISSION RATE
latest cohort
IN-STATE TUITION
$1,196+108% · '00→'10
out-of-state $11,084
SECTION 02 · EARNINGS HORIZONS

How earnings spread, 4 to 10 years after entry

Treasury tax-record earnings for federally aided students who first enrolled at this institution. Each point is a horizon from the most-recent vintage. Single median per horizon (no p25/p75 publishing).

ALL FEDERALLY AIDED STUDENTS · TAX-RECORD EARNINGSVINTAGE 2025-05
Earnings widen with time post-entry. Selection: federal-aid recipients only — not all graduates.Methodology →
SECTION 03 · DEBT-TO-EARNINGS

What loans cost relative to earnings

Annual debt service as a share of median earnings 10 years after entry, computed under federal Direct loan terms (10-year fixed at 6%). The 8% line is the gainful-employment threshold from federal regulation; above 12% has historically been considered “failing” under prior rule cycles.

Institution-wide

1.7%
0%8% · GE20%+

Median federal debt $5,500 amortized over 10 years vs. median earnings $43,145 (10y after entry).

SECTION 04 · LONG ARC

Ten-plus year arc

Federally available history. Coverage varies by metric — IPEDS publishes some series only after 2009 and others only before.

UNDERGRAD · 1996201012,769
12,7696,96119962010
Undergraduate enrollment.IPEDS EF
COMPLETION 150% · 1997201026.1%
42%26%19972010
150%-time completion rate.IPEDS GR
MEDIAN DEBT · 19972010$4,000
$4,000$2,62519972010
Median federal student debt at exit.SCORECARD
COMPLETION · 150% · 19972010-39%

Golden West College · completion · 150% fell

42.4% → 26.1%

COMPLETION · 100% · 20092010-27%

Golden West College · completion · 100% fell

8.9% → 6.5%

UNDERGRAD ENROLLMENT · 19962010+46%

Golden West College · undergrad enrollment rose

8,765 → 12,769

IN-STATE TUITION · 20002010+36%

Golden West College · in-state tuition rose

$330 → $686

OUT-OF-STATE TUITION · 20002024+215%

Golden West College · out-of-state tuition rose

$3,696 → $11,628

MEDIAN DEBT · 19972010+52%

Golden West College · median debt rose

$2,625 → $4,000

COHORT DEFAULT RATE · 20112024-100%

Golden West College · cohort default rate fell

16.0% → 0.0%

PELL SHARE · 20082010+22%

Golden West College · pell share rose

13.5% → 16.5%

EARNINGS_MEDIAN_8YR · 20052020+33%

Golden West College · earnings_median_8yr rose

$30,600 → $40,575

EARNINGS_MEDIAN_6YR · 20032020+33%

Golden West College · earnings_median_6yr rose

$25,900 → $34,462

SECTION 06 · BY CIP FAMILY

7 programs with earnings, grouped

Programs are grouped by 2-digit CIP family. Programs without reported earnings are hidden to keep the list focused.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE · CIP 23

LIBERAL ARTS & GENERAL STUDIES · CIP 24

MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES · CIP 30

PSYCHOLOGY · CIP 42

HEALTH PROFESSIONS · CIP 51

BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT & MARKETING · CIP 52

COMMUNICATION & JOURNALISM · CIP 09

CAUSAL DISCIPLINE

Golden West College graduates earn $X” — not “Golden West College makes you earn $X”

Median earnings describe what cohorts earned. They do not describe what attending Golden West College caused. Selection effects (who admits, who enrolls, who completes) are real. We publish federal data with strict descriptive phrasing — and link the methodology where you can read about the limitations directly.

Methodology →