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Orange Coast College Allan Hancock College Cypress College SAC Long Beach City College Coastline Community College Fullerton College Irvine Valley College SBCC Saddleback College Cerritos College Cal State Long Beach| Cuesta College | Golden West College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Cuesta College | Golden West College | ||
| Location | San Luis Obispo, CA | Huntington Beach, CA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 9,908 | 10,053 | ||
| Type | Public 2 Year | Public 2 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cuesta.edu | goldenwestcollege.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Cuesta College | Golden West College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,288 | $1,104 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $9,296 | $9,768 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,784 | $17,784 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $14,507 | $5,088 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $4,559 | $8,623 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 86% | 83% |
Admission |
Cuesta College | Golden West College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Golden West College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 27:1 | 26:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
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Outcomes |
Cuesta College | Golden West College | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $40,800 | $37,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 51% | 53% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $11,250 | $5,484 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $116 | $56 |
Diversity |
Cuesta College | Golden West College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 49% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 51% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 62% | 32% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 27% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Cuesta College | Golden West College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 95% | 90% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 2% | ||
Campus |
Cuesta College | Golden West College | ||
| 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
- Golden West College is larger than than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (10,053 students vs. 9,908 students)
Cuesta College vs. Golden West College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or Golden West College?
- Cuesta College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than Golden West College for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.1% higher at Golden West College than Cuesta College ($9,768.00 vs. $9,296.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Golden West College than Cuesta College ($5,088 vs. $14,507)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Golden West College are 0% lower than costs at Cuesta College ($17,784 vs. $17,784)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Cuesta College than Golden West College (86% vs. 83%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 89.1% larger than aid received Cuesta College ($8,623 vs. $4,559)
Which college is harder to get into, Cuesta College or Golden West College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Golden West College or Cuesta College .
Cuesta College vs. Golden West College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Cuesta College or Golden West College? 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 Golden West College and Cuesta College.
- Graduates from Cuesta College earn on average $3,800 more per year than Golden West College graduates after ten years. ($40,800 vs. $37,000)
- Golden West College students graduate with a $5,766 lower median federal student loan debt than Cuesta College graduates. ($5,484 vs. $11,250)
- Golden West College graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Cuesta College graduates. ($56 vs. $116)
- More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cuesta College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 51%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/