DVC vs. CMC

Deciding between Diablo Valley College and Copper Mountain Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • DVC Pleasant Hill, CA
  • CMC Joshua Tree, CA
  • Setting
  • DVC Large Suburban
  • CMC Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • DVC 17,228
  • CMC 2,019
  • Type
  • DVC Public 2 Year
  • CMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • DVC
  • CMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • DVC -
  • CMC -
  • Status
  • DVC Non-profit
  • CMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • DVC
  • CMC
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • DVC $1,312
  • CMC $1,390
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • DVC $10,320
  • CMC $13,570
  • Room & Board
  • DVC $23,238
  • CMC $22,086
  • Average Net Price
  • DVC $11,001
  • CMC $9,827
  • Average Grant Aid
  • DVC $4,441
  • CMC $7,478
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • DVC 61%
  • CMC 93%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • DVC -
  • CMC -
  • Admitted
  • DVC -
  • CMC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • DVC Open
  • CMC Open
  • Enrolled
  • DVC Open
  • CMC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • DVC
  • CMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • DVC
  • CMC
  • Average High School GPA
  • DVC -
  • CMC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • DVC -
  • CMC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • DVC Unavailable
  • CMC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • DVC
  • CMC
  • ACT Range
  • DVC
  • CMC
  • SAT Range
  • DVC
  • CMC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • DVC Open admission
  • CMC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • DVC
  • CMC
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • DVC 25:1
  • CMC 18:1
  • Popular Majors
  • DVC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (17%)
    • Work and Family Studies (14%)
    • Business (11%)
    • Health Professions (11%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • CMC
    • Health Professions (30%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (28%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • DVC -
  • CMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • DVC $44,800
  • CMC $33,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • DVC 52%
  • CMC 28%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • DVC N/A
  • CMC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • DVC N/A
  • CMC N/A
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • DVC 49%
  • CMC 36%
  • % Women
  • DVC 51%
  • CMC 64%
  • Racial Diversity
  • DVC Very High
  • CMC High
  • HBCU
  • DVC No
  • CMC No
  • % White
  • DVC 38%
  • CMC 52%
  • % Asian
  • DVC 15%
  • CMC 4%
  • % Black
  • DVC 5%
  • CMC 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • DVC 23%
  • CMC 27%
  • % Native American
  • DVC 0%
  • CMC 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • DVC 0%
  • CMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • DVC 8%
  • CMC 7%
  • % International
  • DVC 9%
  • CMC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • DVC 1%
  • CMC 2%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • DVC 90%
  • CMC 90%
  • % Out-of-State
  • DVC 0%
  • CMC 0%
  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • DVC No
  • CMC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • DVC No
  • CMC No
  • Meal Plan
  • DVC No
  • CMC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • DVC Yes
  • CMC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • DVC Yes
  • CMC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA with Copper Mountain Community College in Joshua Tree, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Diablo Valley College is larger than CMC based on total student enrollment (17,228 students vs. 2,019 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Diablo Valley College is located in Pleasant Hill, CA (Large Suburban setting); Copper Mountain Community College is in Joshua Tree, CA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Diablo Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Copper Mountain Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Diablo Valley College 25:1; Copper Mountain Community College 18:1.

DVC vs. CMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DVC or CMC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Copper Mountain Community College than DVC ($9,827 vs. $11,001).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Copper Mountain Community College are 5% lower than at Diablo Valley College ($22,086 vs. $23,238).
  • Copper Mountain Community College is 5.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than DVC (about $78 more per year; $1,390.00 vs. $1,312.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 31.5% higher at CMC than at Diablo Valley College (about $3,250 more per year; $13,570.00 vs. $10,320.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Copper Mountain Community College than at Diablo Valley College (93% vs. 61%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Copper Mountain Community College students is 68.4% larger than aid received by Diablo Valley College students ($7,478 vs. $4,441).

DVC vs. CMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, DVC or CMC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CMC and DVC.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: DVC - Open admission; CMC - Open admission.

DVC vs. CMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for DVC and CMC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Graduates from Diablo Valley College earn a median of about $11,800 more per year than CMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More DVC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CMC students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 28%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.