Butte College vs. MiraCosta College

Comparable Facts

Compare Butte College in Oroville, CA with MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

MiraCosta College is larger than Butte College based on total student enrollment (11,478 students vs. 10,968 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); MiraCosta College is in Oceanside, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. MiraCosta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; MiraCosta College 18:1.

Butte College vs. MiraCosta College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College or MiraCosta College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at MiraCosta College than Butte College ($9,044 vs. $9,112).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 47.9% lower than at MiraCosta College ($17,894 vs. $34,328).
• Butte College is 17.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than MiraCosta College (about $198 more per year; $1,356.00 vs. $1,158.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.1% higher at MiraCosta College than at Butte College (about $474 more per year; $9,750.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at MiraCosta College (88% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Butte College students is 33.2% larger than aid received by MiraCosta College students ($6,677 vs. $5,013).

Butte College vs. MiraCosta College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte College or MiraCosta College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between MiraCosta College and Butte College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Butte College - Open admission; MiraCosta College - Open admission.

Butte College vs. MiraCosta College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and MiraCosta College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Butte College earn a median of about $3,400 more per year than MiraCosta College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,400 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, MiraCosta College graduates have a $9,478 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($4,500 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, MiraCosta College graduates have an estimated $98 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($46 vs. $144).
• More MiraCosta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Butte College students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 32%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.