San Diego City College vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

Compare San Diego City College in San Diego, 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 San Diego City College based on total student enrollment (19,212 students vs. 13,242 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• San Diego City College is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); San Diego Mesa College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• San Diego City 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: San Diego City College 22:1; San Diego Mesa College 23:1.

San Diego City College vs. San Diego Mesa College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego City 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 City College than San Diego Mesa College ($10,040 vs. $10,316).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) are the same at San Diego City College and San Diego Mesa College ($31,243).
• San Diego City College and San Diego Mesa College have the same published in-state tuition ($1,146.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is the same at San Diego City College as at San Diego Mesa College ($10,002.00 vs. $10,002.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Diego City College than at San Diego Mesa College (87% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego City College students is 27.2% larger than aid received by San Diego Mesa College students ($10,500 vs. $8,252).

San Diego City College vs. San Diego Mesa College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, San Diego City 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 San Diego City College.

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

San Diego City College vs. San Diego Mesa College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for San Diego City 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 $8,400 more per year than San Diego City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego Mesa College and San Diego City College graduates have the same median loan debt ($4,500 vs. $4,500).
• Among borrowers in the federal data, San Diego Mesa College and San Diego City College graduates have the same median monthly federal student loan payment ($46 vs. $46).
• More San Diego Mesa College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego City College students, three years after graduation. (41% vs. 30%)

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.