Golden West College vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

Compare Golden West College in Huntington Beach, 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 Golden West College based on total student enrollment (19,212 students vs. 10,721 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting); San Diego Mesa College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• Golden West 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: Golden West College 29:1; San Diego Mesa College 23:1.

Golden West College vs. San Diego Mesa College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West 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 Golden West College than San Diego Mesa College ($6,681 vs. $10,316).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Golden West College are 24.3% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($23,659 vs. $31,243).
• Golden West College is 20.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego Mesa College (about $234 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.3% higher at Golden West College than at San Diego Mesa College (about $1,626 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $10,002.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Golden West College than at San Diego Mesa College (82% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego Mesa College students is 20.5% larger than aid received by Golden West College students ($8,252 vs. $6,849).

Golden West College vs. San Diego Mesa College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Golden West College or San Diego Mesa College? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between San Diego Mesa College and Golden West College.

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

Golden West College vs. San Diego Mesa College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West College and San Diego Mesa College? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from San Diego Mesa College earn a median of about $4,600 more per year than Golden West College graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have a $984 lower median loan debt than Golden West College graduates ($4,500 vs. $5,484).
• Among borrowers, San Diego Mesa College graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Golden West College graduates ($46 vs. $56).
• More Golden West College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former San Diego Mesa College students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 41%)

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.