Cuesta College vs. Golden West College

Should I go to Cuesta College or Golden West College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cuesta College or Golden West College 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. Golden West College comparison
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Golden West College
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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
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (29%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Personal and Culinary Services (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

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/