Orange Coast College vs. RHC

Comparable Facts

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

Rio Hondo College is larger than Orange Coast College based on total student enrollment (17,441 students vs. 17,096 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Orange Coast College is located in Costa Mesa, CA (Midsize City setting); Rio Hondo College is in Whittier, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Orange Coast College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Rio Hondo College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Orange Coast College 27:1; Rio Hondo College 31:1.

Orange Coast College vs. RHC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Orange Coast College or RHC? 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 RHC ($9,116 vs. $16,449).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Orange Coast College are 13.3% lower than at Rio Hondo College ($19,159 vs. $22,086).
• Orange Coast College is 0.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than RHC (about $4 more per year; $1,392.00 vs. $1,388.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 17.8% higher at Orange Coast College than at Rio Hondo College (about $1,756 more per year; $11,640.00 vs. $9,884.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rio Hondo College than at Orange Coast College (85% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Orange Coast College students is 8.8% larger than aid received by Rio Hondo College students ($5,493 vs. $5,049).

Orange Coast College vs. RHC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Orange Coast College or RHC? 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 RHC 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; RHC - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: RHC Aug 20, 2027.

Orange Coast College vs. RHC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Orange Coast College and RHC? 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 $3,700 more per year than RHC graduates about ten years after starting college ($42,200 vs. $38,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Orange Coast College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RHC students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 34%)

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.