College of Alameda vs. Orange Coast College

Comparable Facts

Compare College of Alameda in Alameda, CA with Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Orange Coast College is larger than College of Alameda based on total student enrollment (17,096 students vs. 6,141 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of Alameda is located in Alameda, CA (Large Suburban setting); Orange Coast College is in Costa Mesa, CA (Midsize City setting).
• College of Alameda is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Orange Coast College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of Alameda 38:1; Orange Coast College 27:1.

College of Alameda vs. Orange Coast College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of Alameda or Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College than College of Alameda ($9,116 vs. $12,506).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Orange Coast College are 16% lower than at College of Alameda ($19,159 vs. $22,820).
• Orange Coast College is 10.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of Alameda (about $134 more per year; $1,392.00 vs. $1,258.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 17.6% higher at Orange Coast College than at College of Alameda (about $1,742 more per year; $11,640.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of Alameda than at Orange Coast College (86% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Orange Coast College students is 2% larger than aid received by College of Alameda students ($5,493 vs. $5,385).

College of Alameda vs. Orange Coast College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of Alameda or Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College and College of Alameda.

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

College of Alameda vs. Orange Coast College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of Alameda and Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College earn a median of about $5,500 more per year than College of Alameda graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Orange Coast College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of Alameda students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 30%)

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.