Fullerton College vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

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

Fullerton College is larger than San Diego Mesa College based on total student enrollment (19,521 students vs. 19,212 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fullerton College are 29.3% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($22,086 vs. $31,243).
• Out-of-state tuition is 23.8% higher at Fullerton College than at San Diego Mesa College (about $2,377 more per year; $12,379 vs. $10,002).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fullerton College than at San Diego Mesa College (87% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego Mesa College students is 55.7% larger than aid received by Fullerton College students ($8,252 vs. $5,301).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are open admission at both Fullerton College and San Diego Mesa College.

Loans and repayment

• More San Diego Mesa College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fullerton College students, three years after graduation (41% vs. 39%).

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.