San Diego Mesa College vs. Taft College

Comparable Facts

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

San Diego Mesa College is larger than Taft College based on total student enrollment (19,212 students vs. 4,464 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• San Diego Mesa College is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); Taft College is in Taft, CA (Distant Town setting).
• San Diego Mesa College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Taft College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: San Diego Mesa College 23:1; Taft College 28:1.

San Diego Mesa College vs. Taft College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego Mesa College or Taft 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 Taft College than San Diego Mesa College ($5,025 vs. $10,316).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Taft College are 74.1% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($8,095 vs. $31,243).
• San Diego Mesa College is 3.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Taft College (about $38 more per year; $1,146.00 vs. $1,108.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.5% higher at Taft College than at San Diego Mesa College (about $850 more per year; $10,852.00 vs. $10,002.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Taft College than at San Diego Mesa College (90% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Taft College students is 15.1% larger than aid received by San Diego Mesa College students ($9,502 vs. $8,252).

San Diego Mesa College vs. Taft College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, San Diego Mesa College or Taft 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 Taft College 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; Taft College - Open admission.

San Diego Mesa College vs. Taft College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for San Diego Mesa College and Taft 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 $2,000 more per year than Taft College graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 vs. $39,600), 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.