Golden West College vs. Mendocino College

Comparable Facts

Compare Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA with Mendocino College in Ukiah, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Golden West College is larger than Mendocino College based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 4,225 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting); Mendocino College is in Ukiah, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Golden West College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Mendocino College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Golden West College 29:1; Mendocino College 16:1.

Golden West College vs. Mendocino College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West College or Mendocino 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 Golden West College than Mendocino College ($6,681 vs. $9,798).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mendocino College are 29.9% lower than at Golden West College ($16,580 vs. $23,659).
• Mendocino College is 3.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Golden West College (about $43 more per year; $1,423.00 vs. $1,380.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.2% higher at Golden West College than at Mendocino College (about $1,625 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $10,003.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mendocino College than at Golden West College (84% vs. 82%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mendocino College students is 4.8% larger than aid received by Golden West College students ($7,180 vs. $6,849).

Golden West College vs. Mendocino College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Golden West College or Mendocino College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Mendocino College and Golden West College.

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

Golden West College vs. Mendocino College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West College and Mendocino College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Golden West College earn a median of about $7,600 more per year than Mendocino College graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,000 vs. $29,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Golden West College graduates have a $7,516 lower median loan debt than Mendocino College graduates ($5,484 vs. $13,000).
• Among borrowers, Golden West College graduates have an estimated $78 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Mendocino College graduates ($56 vs. $134).
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mendocino College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 30%)

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.