Butte College vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

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

San Diego Mesa College is larger than Butte College based on total student enrollment (19,212 students vs. 10,968 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); San Diego Mesa College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego Mesa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; San Diego Mesa College 23:1.

Butte College vs. San Diego Mesa College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College or San Diego Mesa 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 Butte College than San Diego Mesa College ($9,112 vs. $10,316).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 42.7% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($17,894 vs. $31,243).
• Butte College is 18.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego Mesa College (about $210 more per year; $1,356.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 7.8% higher at San Diego Mesa College than at Butte College (about $726 more per year; $10,002.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at San Diego Mesa College (88% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego Mesa College students is 23.6% larger than aid received by Butte College students ($8,252 vs. $6,677).

Butte College vs. San Diego Mesa College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte College or San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa 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; San Diego Mesa College - Open admission.

Butte College vs. San Diego Mesa College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College earn a median of about $5,200 more per year than Butte College graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have a $9,478 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($4,500 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have an estimated $98 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($46 vs. $144).
• More San Diego Mesa College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Butte College students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.