Cuesta College vs. DVC

Should I go to Cuesta College or Diablo Valley College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cuesta College or DVC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Cuesta College vs. Diablo Valley College comparison
Cuesta College Diablo Valley College College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Cuesta College DVC
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Pleasant Hill, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,908 16,097
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuesta.edu dvc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cuesta College DVC
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,288
Tuition (Out of State) $9,296 $8,988
Room & Board $17,784 $20,493
Avg Net Price $14,507 $7,398
Avg Grant Aid $4,559 $3,884
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 70%

Admission

 Cuesta College DVC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 13, 2025

Academics

 Cuesta College DVC
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 24:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
  • Work and Family Studies (14%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)

Outcomes

 Cuesta College DVC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,800 $44,800
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,250 N/A
Median Loan Payment $116 N/A

Diversity

 Cuesta College DVC
% Men 49% 49%
% Women 51% 51%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 38%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 27% 23%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 8%
% International 0% 9%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Cuesta College DVC
% In-State 95% 86%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 Cuesta College DVC
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Diablo Valley College is larger than than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (16,097 students vs. 9,908 students)

Cuesta College vs. DVC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or DVC?

  • Cuesta College and DVC cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.4% higher at Cuesta College than Diablo Valley College ($9,296.00 vs. $8,988.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Diablo Valley College than Cuesta College ($7,398 vs. $14,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cuesta College are 15.2% lower than costs at Diablo Valley College ($17,784 vs. $20,493)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cuesta College than Diablo Valley College (86% vs. 70%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cuesta College students is 17.4% larger than aid received Diablo Valley College ($4,559 vs. $3,884)

Which college is harder to get into, Cuesta College or DVC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between DVC or Cuesta College .

Cuesta College vs. DVC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cuesta College or DVC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between DVC and Cuesta College.

  • Graduates from Diablo Valley College earn on average $4,000 more per year than Cuesta College graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $40,800)
  • More DVC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cuesta College students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 51%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/