IVC vs. MiraCosta College

Comparable Facts

Compare Imperial Valley College in Imperial, CA with MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

MiraCosta College is larger than IVC based on total student enrollment (11,478 students vs. 8,873 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Imperial Valley College is located in Imperial, CA (Rural Fringe setting); MiraCosta College is in Oceanside, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Imperial Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. MiraCosta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Imperial Valley College 31:1; MiraCosta College 18:1.

IVC vs. MiraCosta College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IVC 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 Imperial Valley College than MiraCosta College ($1,890 vs. $9,044).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Imperial Valley College are 73.3% lower than at MiraCosta College ($9,153 vs. $34,328).
• MiraCosta College is 0.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than IVC (about $10 more per year; $1,158.00 vs. $1,148.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.1% higher at MiraCosta College than at Imperial Valley College (about $898 more per year; $9,750.00 vs. $8,852.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Imperial Valley College than at MiraCosta College (91% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Imperial Valley College students is 98.1% larger than aid received by MiraCosta College students ($9,933 vs. $5,013).

IVC vs. MiraCosta College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, IVC 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 IVC.

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

IVC vs. MiraCosta College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for IVC 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 MiraCosta College earn a median of about $4,200 more per year than IVC graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,000 vs. $28,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.