Santa Ana College (SAC) is a public community college located in Santa Ana, California, the county seat of Orange County, and one of the oldest community colleges in California. Founded in 1915, the college is part of the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD), which also includes the neighboring Santiago Canyon College in Orange. SAC enrolls approximately 26,000 students and offers associate degrees, certificates, and transfer pathways to the University of California, California State University, and private four-year institutions. The college is particularly notable for its nursing and allied health programs, which are among the most competitive and respected in Orange County, and for its strong transfer record to top California universities. Santa Ana College's student body reflects the demographic character of Santa Ana, one of the most densely populated cities in California with a large Latino majority, and the college serves as a critical pathway to higher education for first-generation college students and working adults in Orange County. The Dons athletic program, one of the oldest team identities in California community college athletics, competes in the California Community Colleges Athletic Association (CCCAA) within the Orange Empire Conference. The Don mascot was adopted in 1927, referencing the Spanish land grant era of California history. SAC's campus features the Cesar Chavez Building, a library with expanded digital collections, health and wellness centers, and multiple student support programs including EOPS, CalWORKs, and Puente. The college's proximity to major Orange County employers in healthcare, technology, aerospace, and business provides students with valuable internship and employment opportunities throughout their studies.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
—
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$10756
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $10,756
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
