LTCC vs. San Diego Mesa College

Comparable Facts

Compare Lake Tahoe Community College in South Lake Tahoe, 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 LTCC based on total student enrollment (19,212 students vs. 4,040 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Lake Tahoe Community College is located in South Lake Tahoe, CA (Distant Town setting); San Diego Mesa College is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• Lake Tahoe Community 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: Lake Tahoe Community College 25:1; San Diego Mesa College 23:1.

LTCC vs. San Diego Mesa College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LTCC 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 Mesa College than LTCC ($10,316 vs. $11,799).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Tahoe Community College are 57% lower than at San Diego Mesa College ($13,425 vs. $31,243).
• San Diego Mesa College is 180% more expensive for in-state tuition than LTCC (about $27 more per year; $42.00 vs. $15.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 180% higher at San Diego Mesa College than at Lake Tahoe Community College (about $27 more per year; $42.00 vs. $15.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Diego Mesa College than at Lake Tahoe Community College (79% vs. 64%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego Mesa College students is 40.7% larger than aid received by Lake Tahoe Community College students ($8,252 vs. $5,863).

LTCC vs. San Diego Mesa College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LTCC 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 LTCC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.

LTCC vs. San Diego Mesa College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LTCC 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 $10,500 more per year than LTCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($41,600 vs. $31,100), 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.