Orange Coast College vs. CMC

Deciding between Orange Coast College and Copper Mountain Community College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Orange Coast College Costa Mesa, CA
  • CMC Joshua Tree, CA
  • Setting
  • Orange Coast College Midsize City
  • CMC Distant Rural
  • Total enrollment
  • Orange Coast College 17,096
  • CMC 2,019
  • Type
  • Orange Coast College Public 2 Year
  • CMC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Orange Coast College
  • CMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Orange Coast College -
  • CMC -
  • Status
  • Orange Coast College Non-profit
  • CMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Orange Coast College
  • CMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Orange Coast College $1,392
  • CMC $1,390
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Orange Coast College $11,640
  • CMC $13,570
  • Room & Board
  • Orange Coast College $19,159
  • CMC $22,086
  • Average Net Price
  • Orange Coast College $9,116
  • CMC $9,827
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Orange Coast College $5,493
  • CMC $7,478
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Orange Coast College 66%
  • CMC 93%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Orange Coast College -
  • CMC -
  • Admitted
  • Orange Coast College -
  • CMC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Orange Coast College Open
  • CMC Open
  • Enrolled
  • Orange Coast College Open
  • CMC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • Orange Coast College
  • CMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • Orange Coast College
  • CMC
  • Average High School GPA
  • Orange Coast College -
  • CMC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Orange Coast College -
  • CMC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Orange Coast College Unavailable
  • CMC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Orange Coast College
  • CMC
  • ACT Range
  • Orange Coast College
  • CMC
  • SAT Range
  • Orange Coast College
  • CMC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Orange Coast College Open admission
  • CMC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • Orange Coast College
  • CMC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Orange Coast College 27:1
  • CMC 18:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Orange Coast College
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
    • Health Professions (15%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
    • Psychology (4%)
  • CMC
    • Health Professions (30%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (28%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
    • Business (9%)
    • Social Sciences (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Orange Coast College -
  • CMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Orange Coast College $42,200
  • CMC $33,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Orange Coast College 51%
  • CMC 28%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Orange Coast College $6,500
  • CMC N/A
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Orange Coast College $67
  • CMC N/A

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Orange Coast College 49%
  • CMC 36%
  • % Women
  • Orange Coast College 51%
  • CMC 64%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Orange Coast College Very High
  • CMC High
  • HBCU
  • Orange Coast College No
  • CMC No
  • % White
  • Orange Coast College 34%
  • CMC 52%
  • % Asian
  • Orange Coast College 20%
  • CMC 4%
  • % Black
  • Orange Coast College 2%
  • CMC 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • Orange Coast College 33%
  • CMC 27%
  • % Native American
  • Orange Coast College 0%
  • CMC 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Orange Coast College 0%
  • CMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Orange Coast College 4%
  • CMC 7%
  • % International
  • Orange Coast College 5%
  • CMC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Orange Coast College 1%
  • CMC 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Orange Coast College 91%
  • CMC 90%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Orange Coast College 3%
  • CMC 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Orange Coast College No
  • CMC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Orange Coast College No
  • CMC No
  • Meal Plan
  • Orange Coast College No
  • CMC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Orange Coast College Yes
  • CMC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Orange Coast College Yes
  • CMC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA with Copper Mountain Community College in Joshua Tree, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Orange Coast College is larger than CMC based on total student enrollment (17,096 students vs. 2,019 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Orange Coast College is located in Costa Mesa, CA (Midsize City setting); Copper Mountain Community College is in Joshua Tree, CA (Distant Rural setting).
  • Orange Coast College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Copper Mountain Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Orange Coast College 27:1; Copper Mountain Community College 18:1.

Orange Coast College vs. CMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Orange Coast College or CMC? 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 Orange Coast College than CMC ($9,116 vs. $9,827).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Orange Coast College are 13.3% lower than at Copper Mountain Community College ($19,159 vs. $22,086).
  • Orange Coast College is 0.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than CMC (about $2 more per year; $1,392.00 vs. $1,390.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 16.6% higher at CMC than at Orange Coast College (about $1,930 more per year; $13,570.00 vs. $11,640.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Copper Mountain Community College than at Orange Coast College (93% vs. 66%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Copper Mountain Community College students is 36.1% larger than aid received by Orange Coast College students ($7,478 vs. $5,493).

Orange Coast College vs. CMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Orange Coast College or CMC? 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 CMC and Orange Coast College.

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

Orange Coast College vs. CMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Orange Coast College and CMC? 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 Orange Coast College earn a median of about $9,200 more per year than CMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • More Orange Coast College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CMC students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 28%)

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.