IVC vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

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

San Diego Mesa College is larger than IVC based on total student enrollment (19,212 students vs. 8,873 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Imperial Valley College is located in Imperial, CA (Rural Fringe setting); San Diego Mesa College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• Imperial Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego Mesa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Imperial Valley College 31:1; San Diego Mesa College 23:1.

IVC vs. San Diego Mesa College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IVC or San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College ($1,890 vs. $10,316).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Imperial Valley College are 70.7% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($9,153 vs. $31,243).
• Imperial Valley College is 0.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego Mesa College (about $2 more per year; $1,148.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 13% higher at San Diego Mesa College than at Imperial Valley College (about $1,150 more per year; $10,002.00 vs. $8,852.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Imperial Valley College than at San Diego Mesa College (91% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Imperial Valley College students is 20.4% larger than aid received by San Diego Mesa College students ($9,933 vs. $8,252).

IVC vs. San Diego Mesa College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, IVC or San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa 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; San Diego Mesa College - Open admission.

IVC vs. San Diego Mesa College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for IVC and San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College earn a median of about $12,800 more per year than IVC graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 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.