Palo Verde College vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

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

San Diego Mesa College is larger than Palo Verde College based on total student enrollment (19,212 students vs. 3,833 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Palo Verde College is located in Blythe, CA (Distant Rural setting); San Diego Mesa College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• Palo Verde College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. San Diego Mesa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Palo Verde College 22:1; San Diego Mesa College 23:1.

Palo Verde College vs. San Diego Mesa College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Palo Verde College or San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College than Palo Verde College ($10,316 vs. $22,492).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Palo Verde College are 17.5% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($25,767 vs. $31,243).
• Palo Verde College is 12.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego Mesa College (about $142 more per year; $1,288.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.8% higher at Palo Verde College than at San Diego Mesa College (about $2,878 more per year; $12,880.00 vs. $10,002.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Palo Verde College than at San Diego Mesa College (92% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego Mesa College students is 165.3% larger than aid received by Palo Verde College students ($8,252 vs. $3,111).

Palo Verde College vs. San Diego Mesa College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Palo Verde College or San Diego Mesa 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 Mesa College and Palo Verde College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Palo Verde College - Open admission; San Diego Mesa College - Open admission.

Palo Verde College vs. San Diego Mesa College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Palo Verde College and San Diego Mesa 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 Mesa College earn a median of about $12,500 more per year than Palo Verde College graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 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.