Pasadena City College vs. CMC

Comparable Facts

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

Pasadena City College is larger than CMC based on total student enrollment (24,597 students vs. 2,019 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Pasadena City College is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); Copper Mountain Community College is in Joshua Tree, CA (Distant Rural setting).
• Pasadena City 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: Pasadena City College 23:1; Copper Mountain Community College 18:1.

Pasadena City College vs. CMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pasadena City 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 Pasadena City College than CMC ($6,888 vs. $9,827).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Pasadena City College are 12% lower than at Copper Mountain Community College ($19,431 vs. $22,086).
• Copper Mountain Community College is 17.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Pasadena City College (about $210 more per year; $1,390.00 vs. $1,180.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 38.2% higher at CMC than at Pasadena City College (about $3,750 more per year; $13,570.00 vs. $9,820.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Copper Mountain Community College than at Pasadena City College (93% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Copper Mountain Community College students is 10.6% larger than aid received by Pasadena City College students ($7,478 vs. $6,759).

Pasadena City College vs. CMC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Pasadena City 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 Pasadena City College.

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

Pasadena City College vs. CMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Pasadena City 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 Pasadena City College earn a median of about $4,900 more per year than CMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($37,900 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More Pasadena City College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CMC students, three years after graduation. (36% 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.