San Diego Mesa College vs. CMC

Comparable Facts

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

San Diego Mesa College is larger than CMC based on total student enrollment (19,212 students vs. 2,019 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

San Diego Mesa College vs. CMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego Mesa 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 Copper Mountain Community College than San Diego Mesa College ($9,827 vs. $10,316).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Copper Mountain Community College are 29.3% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($22,086 vs. $31,243).
• Copper Mountain Community College is 21.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego Mesa College (about $244 more per year; $1,390.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 35.7% higher at CMC than at San Diego Mesa College (about $3,568 more per year; $13,570.00 vs. $10,002.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Copper Mountain Community College than at San Diego Mesa College (93% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego Mesa College students is 10.4% larger than aid received by Copper Mountain Community College students ($8,252 vs. $7,478).

San Diego Mesa College vs. CMC Admissions comparison

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

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

San Diego Mesa College vs. CMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College earn a median of about $8,600 more per year than CMC graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 vs. $33,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More San Diego Mesa College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CMC students, three years after graduation. (41% 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.