Harbor College vs. MiraCosta College

Comparable Facts

Compare Los Angeles Harbor College in Wilmington, 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 Harbor College based on total student enrollment (11,478 students vs. 9,463 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Los Angeles Harbor College is located in Wilmington, CA (Large City setting); MiraCosta College is in Oceanside, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Los Angeles Harbor College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. MiraCosta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Los Angeles Harbor College 27:1; MiraCosta College 18:1.

Harbor College vs. MiraCosta College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harbor College 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 MiraCosta College than Harbor College ($9,044 vs. $14,632).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Los Angeles Harbor College are 26% lower than at MiraCosta College ($25,407 vs. $34,328).
• Los Angeles Harbor College is 6.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than MiraCosta College (about $80 more per year; $1,238.00 vs. $1,158.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.4% higher at Harbor College than at MiraCosta College (about $818 more per year; $10,568.00 vs. $9,750.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at Los Angeles Harbor College as at MiraCosta College (81% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Los Angeles Harbor College students is 34.9% larger than aid received by MiraCosta College students ($6,765 vs. $5,013).

Harbor College vs. MiraCosta College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Harbor College 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 Harbor College.

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

Harbor College vs. MiraCosta College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Harbor College 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 Los Angeles Harbor College earn a median of about $3,700 more per year than MiraCosta College graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,700 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, MiraCosta College and Harbor College graduates have the same median loan debt ($4,500 vs. $4,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, MiraCosta College and Harbor College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($46 vs. $46).
• More MiraCosta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harbor College students, three years after graduation. (46% 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.