DVC vs. Harbor College

Comparable Facts

Compare Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, CA with Los Angeles Harbor College in Wilmington, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Diablo Valley College is larger than Harbor College based on total student enrollment (17,228 students vs. 9,463 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Diablo Valley College is located in Pleasant Hill, CA (Large Suburban setting); Los Angeles Harbor College is in Wilmington, CA (Large City setting).
• Diablo Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Los Angeles Harbor College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Diablo Valley College 25:1; Los Angeles Harbor College 27:1.

DVC vs. Harbor College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DVC or Harbor College? 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 Diablo Valley College than Harbor College ($11,001 vs. $14,632).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Diablo Valley College are 8.5% lower than at Los Angeles Harbor College ($23,238 vs. $25,407).
• Diablo Valley College is 6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Harbor College (about $74 more per year; $1,312.00 vs. $1,238.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2.4% higher at Harbor College than at Diablo Valley College (about $248 more per year; $10,568.00 vs. $10,320.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Los Angeles Harbor College than at Diablo Valley College (81% vs. 61%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Los Angeles Harbor College students is 52.3% larger than aid received by Diablo Valley College students ($6,765 vs. $4,441).

DVC vs. Harbor College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, DVC or Harbor College? 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 Harbor College 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; Harbor College - Open admission.

DVC vs. Harbor College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for DVC and Harbor College? 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 $8,100 more per year than Harbor College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More DVC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harbor College students, three years after graduation. (52% vs. 42%)

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.