ECC vs. MiraCosta College

Comparable Facts

Compare El Camino Community College District in Torrance, CA with MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

El Camino Community College District is larger than MiraCosta College based on total student enrollment (21,664 students vs. 11,478 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• El Camino Community College District is located in Torrance, CA (Large Suburban setting); MiraCosta College is in Oceanside, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• El Camino Community College District is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. MiraCosta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: El Camino Community College District 28:1; MiraCosta College 18:1.

ECC vs. MiraCosta College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC or MiraCosta 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 El Camino Community College District than MiraCosta College ($8,837 vs. $9,044).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at El Camino Community College District are 43.4% lower than at MiraCosta College ($19,431 vs. $34,328).
• MiraCosta College is 1.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $14 more per year; $1,158.00 vs. $1,144.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 27.8% higher at MiraCosta College than at El Camino Community College District (about $2,120 more per year; $9,750.00 vs. $7,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at MiraCosta College than at El Camino Community College District (81% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by El Camino Community College District students is 37.6% larger than aid received by MiraCosta College students ($6,896 vs. $5,013).

ECC vs. MiraCosta College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECC or MiraCosta 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 MiraCosta College and ECC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ECC - Open admission; MiraCosta College - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: ECC Aug 27, 2027.

ECC vs. MiraCosta College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC and MiraCosta 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 El Camino Community College District earn a median of about $3,400 more per year than MiraCosta College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,400 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More MiraCosta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 25%)

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.