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Palomar College Allan Hancock College San Diego Miramar College San Diego Mesa College San Diego City College SBCC Grossmont College Saddleback College SMC Mt. San Jacinto CCD| Cuesta College | MiraCosta College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 |
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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/