San Diego Mesa College

San Diego Mesa College is a public college in San Diego, California. It graduates 35% of its students within six years, and its former students earn a median $45,120 ten years after starting college, more than 16% of the California colleges we cover.

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Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

Acceptance rate
Not reported

College Scorecard

What your family pays
$5,814 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $19,371. College Scorecard.

Graduation rate
35%

Higher than 14% of California colleges we cover and 18% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.

Within 6 years · College Scorecard

Earnings after college
$45,120

Higher than 16% of California colleges we cover and 26% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.

Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard

San Diego Mesa College acceptance rate & admissions

Pell Grant recipients16%
First-generation students49%
Women / men55% / 45%

Test scores: College Scorecard. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS

San Diego Mesa College tuition, cost & net price

What families actually pay per year, by income

Average net price after grants and scholarships for California residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)

Sticker price (before aid)

Tuition & fees, in-state$1,146
Tuition & fees, out-of-state$10,002
Housing & meals, on campus—
Books & supplies$938
Total cost of attendance, in-state$19,371

IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard

Median debt at graduation$4,500
Loan default rate8.8%3-year rate, 2017 repayment cohort

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Full cost breakdown, in-state vs out-of-state →

State aid: California residents who meet income, asset and GPA standards may receive a Cal Grant (California Student Aid Commission); apply with the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. At University of California and California State University campuses, the Middle Class Scholarship can also help families with income and assets up to $250,000 (2026-27, dependent students). Not included in the prices above. California Student Aid Commission

San Diego Mesa College majors, earnings & careers

San Diego Mesa College offers 1 bachelor's majors across 1 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.

  • Health & Medicine · 1

Highest-earning majors at San Diego Mesa College

Not enough graduates in any one major to report earnings.

Quick list of all 1 majors
  • Health Administration—

— means too few graduates to report earnings.

College Scorecard field of study, latest release

All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →

Living in San Diego

Cost of living
12% above the U.S. average

Overall prices in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA area.

BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024

Off-campus rent, 1 bedroom
$2,335/mo

2 bedrooms $2,823. Housing costs 79% above the U.S. average.

HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027

Weather
67° / 80°

January and July average highs. 12 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.

NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020

Natural hazard risk
Very High

Highest: wildfire (very high); river flooding (very high); heat wave (relatively high).

FEMA National Risk Index, San Diego County

Campus & students

Total enrollment (incl. graduate)19,243
First-year students from California98%
Next most common home statesArizona, Texas, Massachusetts
AthleticsCCCAA · 12 sports
Undergraduate degrees awarded, 2023-241% bachelor's · 81% associate · 18% certificates
Campus typePrimarily nonresidential
Student bodyHispanic 42% · White 28% · Asian 13% · Two or more 8%International 0%

IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute

San Diego County at a glance

Population3,288,774
Median household income$106,268
Adults with a bachelor's degree43%
Median age37

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024

Compare San Diego Mesa College with similar schools

Similar public colleges in California by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
San Diego Mesa College—$5,81435%$45,120This school
Modesto Junior College—$2,81830%$42,368
Cypress College—$4,60637%$43,533
Rio Hondo College—$14,37925%$44,950
Antelope Valley Community College District—$3,86034%$36,526

College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.

Why the price is different

San Diego Mesa College would cost you $2,996 more per year than Modesto Junior College, on average.

  • Higher sticker price at San Diego Mesa College.
  • San Diego Mesa College gives aided families $4,888 more in grants, on average.
Per year, California residentSan Diego Mesa CollegeMJCDifference
Sticker price$19,371$11,487+$7,884
Average grants−$13,557−$8,669−$4,888
You pay$5,814$2,818+$2,996

“+” means San Diego Mesa College costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.

Common questions about San Diego Mesa College

How much does San Diego Mesa College cost per year?

The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $19,371 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $5,814 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $3,842 and families earning $110k+ pay $13,977.

How much do San Diego Mesa College graduates earn?

Former San Diego Mesa College students earn a median $45,120 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.

What is the San Diego Mesa College graduation rate?

35% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years.

Is San Diego Mesa College the right fit for your family?

Get a free report comparing San Diego Mesa College with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.

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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “San Diego Mesa College: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/san-diego-mesa-college (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).