SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (Sept. 19, 2023) – Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) recently attained the titles of No. 1 “Best Community College Campus in California” and No. 3 “Best Online Medical Billing & Coding Certificate Program in the U.S.” in the top college rankings recently announced by Niche.com (for 2024) and OnlineU (2023). 

In total, SBCC attained the following Top 10 rankings by the two college ranking surveys: 

No. 1 Best Community College Campus in California - Niche.com (for 2024)
No. 3 Best Medical Billing & Coding Certificate Program in the U.S. - Online U (2023)
No. 3 Best Overall Community College in California - Niche.com (for 2024)
No. 8 Best Overall Community College in the U.S. - Niche.com (for 2024)
No. 10 Best Online Community College in California - OnlineU (2023) 

Niche.com’s “best” rankings for SBCC cited A+ scores in both location and campus life, along with A- scores in diversity and value. Niche also cited SBCC’s transfer admission guarantees that allow students to transfer directly to top schools like UCSB, UCSC and UCD.

“We are thrilled to have ranked so highly on Niche.com and OnlineU,” said SBCC Superintendent/President Erika Endrijonas, Ph.D. “Not only are we arguably the most beautiful community college in the nation — and one of the few campuses located steps from the beach — we also have award-winning programs run by student-centered faculty and staff.”

OnlineU’s ranking of SBCC for No. 3 “Best Online Medical Billing & Coding Certificate Program” — a national ranking — cited a median starting salary of $40,140 for program alumni, topped only by McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas ($77,234), and Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisconsin ($41,102). (Data for this survey is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.)

"It is an honor to serve students and be recognized for an effective online program,” said Professor of Health Information Technology/Cancer Information Management (HIT/CIM) Lynette Williamson, Ed.D., MBA, RHIA, CCS, CPC, FAHIMA. “We strive here at Santa Barbara City College and in the HIT/CIM department to provide the best educational experience possible for our students with engaging online courses that not only meet the standards of the field but also spark life-long learning in this vital area of healthcare."

In its No. 10 “Best Online Community College in California” ranking, OnlineU noted that advantages for students who want to earn online associate degrees at SBCC include state and national award winning teaching faculty (i.e. Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, the American Library Association and the Association of Community Colleges Trustees), in addition to its many student success programs. In addition, future employers are more likely to honor online degrees from SBCC due to its accreditation status. SBCC is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC), a national accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Established in 1909, Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) is one of the oldest community colleges in California. The district consists of SBCC’s main campus on Santa Barbara’s beachfront coast, two separate campuses for its School of Extended Learning programs, as well as a Cosmetology school. The college offers a range of associate degree, certificate and transfer programs and is recognized by the Department of Education as an official Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI).