MiraCosta College vs. Sac City

Comparable Facts

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

Sacramento City College is larger than MiraCosta College based on total student enrollment (19,920 students vs. 11,478 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

MiraCosta College vs. Sac City Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MiraCosta College or Sac City? 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 Sacramento City College than MiraCosta College ($8,624 vs. $9,044).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sacramento City College are 35.7% lower than at MiraCosta College ($22,086 vs. $34,328).
• Sacramento City College is 11.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than MiraCosta College (about $130 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,158.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 29.4% higher at Sac City than at MiraCosta College (about $2,866 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $9,750.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Sacramento City College than at MiraCosta College (90% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Sacramento City College students is 23.5% larger than aid received by MiraCosta College students ($6,192 vs. $5,013).

MiraCosta College vs. Sac City Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, MiraCosta College or Sac City? 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 Sac City 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; Sac City - Open admission.

MiraCosta College vs. Sac City Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MiraCosta College and Sac City? 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 Sacramento City College earn a median of about $6,000 more per year than MiraCosta College graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, MiraCosta College graduates have a $6,000 lower median loan debt than Sac City graduates ($4,500 vs. $10,500).
• Among borrowers, MiraCosta College graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Sac City graduates ($46 vs. $108).
• More MiraCosta College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sac City students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 29%)

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.