Porterville College vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

Compare Porterville College in Porterville, 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 Porterville College based on total student enrollment (19,212 students vs. 4,784 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Porterville College is located in Porterville, CA (Small City setting); San Diego Mesa College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• Porterville 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: Porterville College 25:1; San Diego Mesa College 23:1.

Porterville College vs. San Diego Mesa College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Porterville 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 Porterville College ($10,316 vs. $14,733).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Porterville College are 22.6% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($24,192 vs. $31,243).
• Porterville College is 25.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego Mesa College (about $292 more per year; $1,438.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 13.1% higher at Porterville College than at San Diego Mesa College (about $1,306 more per year; $11,308.00 vs. $10,002.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Porterville College than at San Diego Mesa College (94% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego Mesa College students is 18.9% larger than aid received by Porterville College students ($8,252 vs. $6,940).

Porterville College vs. San Diego Mesa College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Porterville 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 Porterville College.

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

Porterville College vs. San Diego Mesa College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Porterville 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 $9,900 more per year than Porterville College graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 vs. $31,700), 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.