Cuesta College vs. RHC

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

 Cuesta College RHC
Location San Luis Obispo, CA Whittier, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 9,908 16,139
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuesta.edu riohondo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Cuesta College RHC
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,316
Tuition (Out of State) $9,296 $9,812
Room & Board $17,784 $17,782
Avg Net Price $14,507 $6,099
Avg Grant Aid $4,559 $5,037
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 80%

Admission

 Cuesta College RHC
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 Aug 20, 2025

Academics

 Cuesta College RHC
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 29:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (23%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (21%)
  • Work and Family Studies (19%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Business (9%)

Outcomes

 Cuesta College RHC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,800 $38,500
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 34%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,250 N/A
Median Loan Payment $116 N/A

Diversity

 Cuesta College RHC
% Men 49% 58%
% Women 51% 42%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 8%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 27% 77%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 1%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 Cuesta College RHC
% In-State 95% 99%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 Cuesta College RHC
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

  • Rio Hondo College is larger than than Cuesta College based on total student enrollment (16,139 students vs. 9,908 students)

Cuesta College vs. RHC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or RHC?

  • Rio Hondo College is 2.2% more expensive to attend than Cuesta College for in-state tuition ($1,316.00 vs. $1,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.6% higher at RHC than Cuesta College ($9,812.00 vs. $9,296.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rio Hondo College than Cuesta College ($6,099 vs. $14,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rio Hondo College are 0% lower than costs at Cuesta College ($17,782 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cuesta College than Rio Hondo College (86% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rio Hondo College students is 10.5% larger than aid received Cuesta College ($5,037 vs. $4,559)

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

Cuesta College vs. RHC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Graduates from Cuesta College earn on average $2,300 more per year than RHC graduates after ten years. ($40,800 vs. $38,500)
  • More Cuesta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RHC students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 34%)

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