MiraCosta College vs. Mt. SAC

Comparable Facts

Compare MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA with Mt San Antonio College in Walnut, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Mt San Antonio College is larger than MiraCosta College based on total student enrollment (29,971 students vs. 11,478 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• MiraCosta College is located in Oceanside, CA (Large Suburban setting); Mt San Antonio College is in Walnut, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• MiraCosta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Mt San Antonio College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: MiraCosta College 18:1; Mt San Antonio College 26:1.

MiraCosta College vs. Mt. SAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MiraCosta College or Mt. SAC? 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 Mt San Antonio College than MiraCosta College ($8,516 vs. $9,044).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mt San Antonio College are 25.5% lower than at MiraCosta College ($25,587 vs. $34,328).
• Mt San Antonio College is 17.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than MiraCosta College (about $206 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,158.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 7.3% higher at Mt. SAC than at MiraCosta College (about $714 more per year; $10,464.00 vs. $9,750.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at MiraCosta College than at Mt San Antonio College (81% vs. 76%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mt San Antonio College students is 37.9% larger than aid received by MiraCosta College students ($6,911 vs. $5,013).

MiraCosta College vs. Mt. SAC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MiraCosta College or Mt. SAC? 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 Mt. SAC and MiraCosta College.

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

MiraCosta College vs. Mt. SAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MiraCosta College and Mt. SAC? 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 Mt San Antonio College earn a median of about $6,100 more per year than MiraCosta College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,100 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Mt San Antonio College and MiraCosta College graduates have the same median loan debt ($4,500 vs. $4,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, Mt San Antonio College and MiraCosta 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 Mt. SAC students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 45%)

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.