(Santa Ana, Calif.) – For the second year in a row, Santa Ana College (SAC) was named as one of the Best Community Colleges in California for 2024 by the higher education website Intelligent.com, for its academic quality, graduation rate, cost, and student resources.
Intelligent.com evaluated schools on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty and reputation, as well as student resources provided, and then ranked each institution on a scale from 0 to 100. SAC ranked 38th among community colleges in California with a score of 78.21.
“We are honored to be recognized once again for the continued dedication of our faculty, staff and students," said Dr. Annebelle Nery, president of SAC. “Santa Ana College is committed to providing our students with high quality programs that meet their academic and financial needs to help them succeed and earn a living wage."
SAC offers student-centered programs and services to all students, including financial aid, a Health & Wellness Center, Thrive Center, honors program and honors courses, and MESA (Math, Engineering, Science & Achievement) program to name a few. SAC is also developing new programs and resources for students to meet today's career demand.
In the fall semester of 2025, SAC will launch a baccalaureate-level Paralegal Studies program that will be the first of its kind at any public institution in California according to Kim Smith, SAC Legal Studies Department co-chair. The new program is designed for students who already have an associate degree in Paralegal Studies from an institution approved by the American Bar Association (ABA), including SAC's long-standing paralegal training program that currently offers associate of arts and certificate options.
SAC is additionally reaching new heights with its Registered Nursing program (RN), which recently earned “continued approval" from the California Board of Registered Nursing along with “continued accreditation" from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. The approval and accreditation are for eight-year terms. With the relatively low cost of the RN program, the department regularly sees more than 600 applicants per semester and enrolls 60 RN students each Fall and 40 RN students each Spring.
The new approval and accreditation status comes as the RN program moved into a new Health Sciences Building in January. The 55,563-square-foot, state-of-the art building includes simulation laboratories, study centers, classrooms and computer labs. It will house several programs including Nursing, Medical Assistant, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Bachelor of Science in Occupational Studies, Emergency Medical Technician and Pharmacy Technology.
According to Intelligent.com, investing in a two-year degree from a community college can earn a median weekly salary of $1,005, whereas those with a high school diploma earn a lower weekly median wage of $853.
For the full list of Intelligent.com's 2024 Best Community Colleges in California, visit: https://www.intelligent.com/best-community-colleges/california/#santa_ana_college.
Visit www.sac.edu to learn more about Santa Ana College. Questions about this press release can be directed to Dalilah Davaloz, public information officer, at Davaloz_Dalilah@sac.edu.
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About Santa Ana College:
Santa Ana College (SAC), founded in 1915, serves more than 54,600 students yearly for credit and noncredit classes. At present, SAC students can work toward completing an associate degree, university transfer, career/workforce training or a bachelor's degree in occupational studies. In 2025, the college will offer a second bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies. As part of Santa Ana College, the School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center offers free classes throughout the community for adults of all ages and academic backgrounds. Santa Ana College is an award-winning college and was recently ranked as one of the nation's top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students and named one of the best community colleges in California by Intelligent.com for a 2nd consecutive year. The college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses
