Cuesta College vs. MiraCosta College

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

Cuesta College MiraCosta College
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Oceanside, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,908 10,860
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuesta.edu miracosta.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cuesta College MiraCosta College
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $9,296 $8,400
Room & Board $17,784 $22,572
Avg Net Price $14,507 $7,281
Avg Grant Aid $4,559 $5,222
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 74%

Admission

Cuesta College MiraCosta 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 MiraCosta College
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (36%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (4%)

Outcomes

Cuesta College MiraCosta College
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,800 $33,000
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 46%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,250 $4,500
Median Loan Payment $116 $46

Diversity

Cuesta College MiraCosta College
% Men 49% 41%
% Women 51% 59%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 44%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 27% 36%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Cuesta College MiraCosta College
% In-State 95% 94%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

Cuesta College MiraCosta College
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

  • MiraCosta College is larger than than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (10,860 students vs. 9,908 students)

Cuesta College vs. MiraCosta College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or MiraCosta College?

  • Cuesta College is 16.7% more expensive to attend than MiraCosta College for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.7% higher at Cuesta College than MiraCosta College ($9,296.00 vs. $8,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at MiraCosta College than Cuesta College ($7,281 vs. $14,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cuesta College are 26.9% lower than costs at MiraCosta College ($17,784 vs. $22,572)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cuesta College than MiraCosta College (86% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by MiraCosta College students is 14.5% larger than aid received Cuesta College ($5,222 vs. $4,559)

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

Cuesta College vs. MiraCosta College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cuesta College or MiraCosta 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 MiraCosta College and Cuesta College.

  • Graduates from Cuesta College earn on average $7,800 more per year than MiraCosta College graduates after ten years. ($40,800 vs. $33,000)
  • MiraCosta College students graduate with a $6,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Cuesta College graduates. ($4,500 vs. $11,250)
  • MiraCosta College graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Cuesta College graduates. ($46 vs. $116)
  • More Cuesta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MiraCosta College students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 46%)

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