Cuesta College vs. GCC

Should I go to Cuesta College or Glendale Community College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cuesta College or GCC 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. Glendale Community College comparison
Cuesta College Glendale Community College College 3 College 4
Glendale Community College
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Overview

 Cuesta College GCC
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Glendale, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 9,908 10,658
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuesta.edu glendale.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cuesta College GCC
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $9,296 $8,304
Room & Board $17,784 $20,563
Avg Net Price $14,507 $8,849
Avg Grant Aid $4,559 $5,715
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 67%

Admission

 Cuesta College GCC
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 GCC
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 (25%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 Cuesta College GCC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,800 $38,200
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,250 N/A
Median Loan Payment $116 N/A

Diversity

 Cuesta College GCC
% Men 49% 45%
% Women 51% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 45%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 27% 32%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 0% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Cuesta College GCC
% In-State 95% 91%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Glendale Community College is larger than than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (10,658 students vs. 9,908 students)

Cuesta College vs. GCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or GCC?

  • Cuesta College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than GCC for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.9% higher at Cuesta College than Glendale Community College ($9,296.00 vs. $8,304.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Glendale Community College than Cuesta College ($8,849 vs. $14,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cuesta College are 15.6% lower than costs at Glendale Community College ($17,784 vs. $20,563)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cuesta College than Glendale Community College (86% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Glendale Community College students is 25.4% larger than aid received Cuesta College ($5,715 vs. $4,559)

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

Cuesta College vs. GCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cuesta College or GCC? 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 GCC and Cuesta College.

  • Graduates from Cuesta College earn on average $2,600 more per year than GCC graduates after ten years. ($40,800 vs. $38,200)
  • More GCC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cuesta College students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 51%)

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