Mission College vs. West Valley College

Comparable Facts

Compare Mission College in Santa Clara, CA with West Valley College in Saratoga, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

West Valley College is larger than Mission College based on total student enrollment (7,655 students vs. 6,909 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mission College is located in Santa Clara, CA (Rural Fringe setting); West Valley College is in Saratoga, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Mission College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. West Valley College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Mission College 26:1; West Valley College 29:1.

Mission College vs. West Valley College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mission College or West Valley 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 West Valley College than Mission College ($7,270 vs. $7,646).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at Mission College and West Valley College ($35,361).
• West Valley College is 3.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Mission College (about $52 more per year; $1,490.00 vs. $1,438.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 43.6% higher at Mission College than at West Valley College (about $3,798 more per year; $12,500.00 vs. $8,702.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at West Valley College than at Mission College (81% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mission College students is 0.3% larger than aid received by West Valley College students ($4,820 vs. $4,806).

Mission College vs. West Valley College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mission College or West Valley 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 West Valley College and Mission College.

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

Mission College vs. West Valley College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Mission College and West Valley 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 Mission College earn a median of about $900 more per year than West Valley College graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,000 vs. $41,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Mission College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former West Valley College students, three years after graduation. (49% 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.