Orange Coast College vs. Palo Verde College

Comparable Facts

Compare Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA with Palo Verde College in Blythe, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Orange Coast College is larger than Palo Verde College based on total student enrollment (17,096 students vs. 3,833 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Orange Coast College is located in Costa Mesa, CA (Midsize City setting); Palo Verde College is in Blythe, CA (Distant Rural setting).
• Orange Coast College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Palo Verde College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Orange Coast College 27:1; Palo Verde College 22:1.

Orange Coast College vs. Palo Verde College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Orange Coast College or Palo Verde 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 Orange Coast College than Palo Verde College ($9,116 vs. $22,492).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Orange Coast College are 25.6% lower than at Palo Verde College ($19,159 vs. $25,767).
• Orange Coast College is 8.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Palo Verde College (about $104 more per year; $1,392.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.7% higher at Palo Verde College than at Orange Coast College (about $1,240 more per year; $12,880.00 vs. $11,640.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Verde College than at Orange Coast College (92% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Orange Coast College students is 76.6% larger than aid received by Palo Verde College students ($5,493 vs. $3,111).

Orange Coast College vs. Palo Verde College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Orange Coast College or Palo Verde 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 Palo Verde College 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; Palo Verde College - Open admission.

Orange Coast College vs. Palo Verde College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Orange Coast College and Palo Verde 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 Orange Coast College earn a median of about $13,100 more per year than Palo Verde College graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $29,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.