Orange Coast College vs. FLC

Comparable Facts

Compare Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA with Folsom Lake College in Folsom, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Orange Coast College is larger than FLC based on total student enrollment (17,096 students vs. 11,098 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Orange Coast College is located in Costa Mesa, CA (Midsize City setting); Folsom Lake College is in Folsom, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Orange Coast College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Folsom Lake College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Orange Coast College 27:1; Folsom Lake College 29:1.

Orange Coast College vs. FLC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Orange Coast College or FLC? 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 Folsom Lake College than Orange Coast College ($8,982 vs. $9,116).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Orange Coast College are 13.3% lower than at Folsom Lake College ($19,159 vs. $22,086).
• Orange Coast College is 8.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than FLC (about $104 more per year; $1,392.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.4% higher at FLC than at Orange Coast College (about $976 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $11,640.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Folsom Lake College than at Orange Coast College (84% vs. 66%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Orange Coast College students is 53.9% larger than aid received by Folsom Lake College students ($5,493 vs. $3,570).

Orange Coast College vs. FLC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Orange Coast College or FLC? 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 FLC and Orange Coast College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Orange Coast College - Open admission; FLC - Open admission.

Orange Coast College vs. FLC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Orange Coast College and FLC? 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 Orange Coast College have median earnings of about $42,200 about ten years after starting college (College Scorecard). Comparable earnings data is not available for FLC.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Orange Coast College graduates have a $1,250 lower median loan debt than FLC graduates ($6,500 vs. $7,750).
• Among borrowers, Orange Coast College graduates have an estimated $13 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than FLC graduates ($67 vs. $80).
• More Orange Coast College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FLC students, three years after graduation. (51% vs. 33%)

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.