MiraCosta College vs. San Diego City College

Comparable Facts

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

San Diego City College is larger than MiraCosta College based on total student enrollment (13,242 students vs. 11,478 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• MiraCosta College is located in Oceanside, CA (Large Suburban setting); San Diego City College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• MiraCosta College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: MiraCosta College 18:1; San Diego City College 22:1.

MiraCosta College vs. San Diego City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, MiraCosta College or San Diego City 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 San Diego City College ($9,044 vs. $10,040).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Diego City College are 9% lower than at MiraCosta College ($31,243 vs. $34,328).
• MiraCosta College is 1% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego City College (about $12 more per year; $1,158.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2.6% higher at San Diego City College than at MiraCosta College (about $252 more per year; $10,002.00 vs. $9,750.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Diego City College than at MiraCosta College (87% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego City College students is 109.5% larger than aid received by MiraCosta College students ($10,500 vs. $5,013).

MiraCosta College vs. San Diego City College Admissions comparison

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

MiraCosta College vs. San Diego City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for MiraCosta College and San Diego City 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 City College earn a median of about $200 more per year than MiraCosta College graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,200 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego City College and MiraCosta College graduates have the same median loan debt ($4,500 vs. $4,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, San Diego City 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 San Diego City College students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 30%)

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.