Best Community Colleges in Los Angeles in 2024

A Branch of California Community Colleges, Mt. San Antonio is a large institution with an enrollment of 10,238 located in Walnut, CA. Popular majors include Business, Accounting Technician and Bookkeeping, Psychology, Business, Social Science Research Methods, Nursing, Child Care Provider, Physical Education Teaching and Coaching, and Fire Protection and Prevention.

Until further notice, MSAC has transitioned to online classes.

Orange Coast is a public college located in Costa Mesa, CA that has an enrollment of 7,806 undergraduate students. The most popular majors at Orange Coast include Business, Psychology, and Liberal Arts and Humanities. The school is ranked among the 10 best community colleges in America.

Students have exclusive guaranteed transfer agreements and priority consideration with several universities and colleges including Chapman University, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, Arizona State University, Loyola Marymount Georgetown, and Berklee College of Music.

A small institution with an enrollment of 3,056 undergraduate students, Santiago Canyon is located in Orange, CA. Popular majors include Business, Liberal Arts and Humanities, and Natural Sciences.

SCC has earned accreditation from the National Association of Young Children—the country’s premiere organization of early childhood professionals.

Located in Moorpark, CA, this is a mid-sized institution with an enrollment of 5,593 undergraduate students. Popular majors include Business, Liberal Arts and Humanities, and Natural Sciences.

Among other things, Moorpark has been recognized as one of the 20 best value community colleges in the nation. The nursing program has a 95% pass rate.

Part of North Orange County Community Colleges, Cypress College is located in Cypress, CA and has an enrollment of 5,096 undergraduate students. Popular majors include Business & Computer Information Systems, Kinesiology, Health Sciences, Language Arts, and Science, Engineering, and Math.

The School of Kinesiology offers specialized training for careers in Kinesiology, Sports Management, Public Health, Recreation, Coaching, Sports Officiating, and Fitness and Sports Training.

GCC is a mid-size community college with an enrollment of 6,519 undergraduate students. Popular majors include Nursing and Health Service and Business. The school offers unique virtual application labs available on Zoom.

Until further notice, all courses are being taught remotely online, or in a hybrid remote/online format. To learn more, visit GCC’s VIRTUAL Welcome Center.

Located in Pasadena, CA, PCC is a large public college with an undergraduate enrollment of 10,416. Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, and Natural Sciences.

Career Communities provide opportunities to learn with students who have similar career goals. Career Communities include STEM, Business and Industry, Health Sciences & Wellness, Liberal Arts, Social & Behavioral Sciences, and Arts, Communication & Design.

The Arts, Communication & Design programs offer a number of transfer possibilities in the greater Los Angeles area.

Part of North Orange County Community Colleges, Fullerton is a public college with an undergraduate enrollment of 7,225. Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Business.

Fullerton College is a Bronze Military Friendly school!

“The Military Friendly® Schools survey is the longest-running most comprehensive review of college and university investments in serving military and veteran students. Military Friendly® is the standard that measures an organization’s commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefit for the military community.”

Voted one of the top 20 community colleges in California, Cerritos College has an enrollment of 6,566 undergraduate students. Popular majors include Business, Retail Management, and Liberal Arts and Humanities.

A unique track of study is the college’s Automotive Import Technician Training Program (ITTP). Sponsored by Mercedes-Benz USA, Cerritos had the only automotive program in Southern California to offer MB Campus as part of its curriculum.

Located in Irvine, CA, IVC has an undergraduate enrollment of 4,831. Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, Bookkeeping, and Accounting Technician. Along with 70 majors, the college also offers certificates in 60 career and technical programs.

Irvine Valley’s CAANAPI Learning Center offers a unique educational environment for Asian Americans and Native American Pacific Islanders. Special scholarships are available for full-time students of Asian and/or Pacific Islander descent. Awards range from one-time $2,500 awards to multi-year $5,000 awards.

Located in Mission Viejo, CA, Saddleback is a mid-size institution with an undergraduate enrollment of 5,531 students. Popular majors include Business, Liberal Arts and Humanities, Science, Engineering & Pre-Med, Nursing, Health and Wellness, Social Sciences & Education, and Arts, Design, & Entertainment.

The Center for Teaching Pathways offers support services to students pursuing a career in teaching. CBEST Preparation Materials prepare students for the California Basic Educational Skills Test. The Child Development and Education Textbook Loan Program makes textbooks for CDE course available for a semester loan.

Hacienda La Puente is located in Industry, CA, and has a small student population of 760. Popular majors include Business Support Services, Electronics Equipment Installation and Repair, and Cosmetology Instruction and Salon.

The VESL program offers instruction for students whose primary language is something other than English and are seeking a job or career advancement.

Located in Santa Clarita, CA, College of the Canyons is a mid-size public institution with an enrollment of 6,075 undergraduate students. Popular majors include Social Science Research Methods, Liberal Arts & Humanities, Accounting Technician & Bookkeeping, Natural Sciences, Emergency Medical Technician (EMT Paramedic), and Police & Criminal Science.

College of the Canyons offers an Emergency Medical Technician Certificate of Specialization. This prepared students for certification and placement as an Emergency Medical Technician, also known as EMT. Additional training is offered for EMT Firefighter, Paramedic Nursing Physician Assistant, Military Medic Law Enforcement, and others.

A small institution with an undergraduate enrollment of 2,208, the school is located in Oxnard, CA. Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT Paramedic).

The Film, Television, and Electronic Media program trains students in courses that develop skills in all aspects of digital film and video production. Students who have completed this program have transferred to UCLA USC, CSUN, and others. Alumni work in the industry for Warner Brothers, ABC, and Fox Sports West.

Citrus College is a public institution located in Glendora, CA. This mid-size community college has an enrollment of 5,416 undergraduate students. Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, and Social Science Research Methods.

For those seeking a career in education, Citrus College recently announced the creation of Measure Y. According to the board of trustees:

Measure Y, the Citrus College Career Education, Repair, Affordable Higher Education Measure, is a $298 million General Obligation Bond measure, to retain well-qualified teachers and improve the quality of education at Citrus College by:

Upgrading job training, science, technology classrooms, and laboratories.
Meeting earthquake, fire, clean drinking water safety.
Providing resources for students/veterans preparing for university transfer/jobs.

LA Harbor, located in Los Angeles, CA, is a small community college with an undergraduate enrollment of 2,545. Popular majors include Liberal Arts and Humanities, Business, and Natural Sciences.

Project Match is Los Angeles Community College District’s premier Instructional Development Program. This program ensures Los Angeles Harbor College students have a range of instructors who are as diverse as the college population.

Golden West is located in Huntington Beach, CA, and has an enrollment of 3,699 undergraduate students. Popular majors include Liberal Arts & Humanities, Police & Criminal Science, and Natural Sciences.

The college has a new partnership with Los Amigos High School that allows freshmen to earn AA degrees by the end of their senior year. Eighty incoming freshmen were accepted into the Early College Academy at Los Amigos High fall of 2020.

A large institution with an enrollment of 8,754, LBCC is located in Long Beach, CA. Popular majors include Business, Psychology, and Child Care Provider.

If this is your first time to attend college, LBCC’s Viking Advantage is a first-year program for any first-time college students enrolled in 12 or more units per semester. According to the administration:

Viking Advantage is centered on removing obstacles so that students can achieve their academic goals. To promote academic success, Viking Advantage students receive one year of free tuition, priority registration, and a Student Success Network to answer academic questions and offer support in navigating college.

A public institution with an enrollment of 4,105, the college is located in Ventura, CA. Popular majors include Liberal Arts & Humanities, Police & Criminal Science, and Natural Sciences.

Ventura’s Educational Assistance Center (EAC) promotes educational and vocational opportunities for students with disabilities by supporting every student’s integration into the mainstream of college life. Students with learning disabilities, mobility, hearing, vision, speech, and/or acquired brain injuries, psychological impairments, or other health impairments, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and seizure disorders are eligible for support services and special classes.

Located in Monterey Park, CA, ELC is a mid-sized community college with a student population of 7,810. Popular majors include Social Science Research Methods, Police and Criminal Science, Liberal Arts and Humanities.

Career and Academic Pathways (CAP) at ELC are Administration of Justice, Business Administration, Exploration & Preparation (Arts & Humanities, Math, Writing, English as a Second Language).