MiraCosta College
#5 Best Online Education Programs in California- Graduation Rate
- 41% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $43,845 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $7,339 A-
- 57% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 10,278
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 35.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $35.4 over 20 years. Ranked #5 in Best Online Education Programs in California.
Every $1 spent returns $35.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,011,017.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 41% — 28% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $35.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.2%
- Top 71%
- Patents
- 8
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 82
- Downstream influence
Why MiraCosta College Matters
MiraCosta College is a public community college in Oceanside, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 10,278
- Setting
- Suburban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Computer Science & IT
Why students choose MiraCosta College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $7,339 a year after grants and scholarships — 57% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $43,845 ten years after enrolling — 8% above the typical college, against $9,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 46% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.24 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
MiraCosta College has a net price of just $7,339, making it an affordable option for students seeking higher education in California. The college serves over 10,000 students, offering a range of programs that cater to various interests and career paths.
Data from Opportunity Insights highlights that while specific mobility rates are not available, the college supports a diverse student body, with 27% of students receiving Pell Grants. This indicates a commitment to helping low-income students access education and improve their economic standing. Graduates earn a median salary of $43,845 within ten years, reflecting a positive return on investment for many students.
Students who thrive at MiraCosta College often pursue careers in fields such as humanities, business, computer science, health professions, and psychology. The graduation rate stands at 41%, which signals the challenges some students face in completing their programs. However, with a median debt of just $9,000, the financial burden remains relatively low, making it a viable option for those looking to enter the workforce without excessive student loans.
Rankings
- #5 Best Online Education Programs in California
- #10 Best Online Computer Science Programs in California
- #10 Best Online Criminal Justice Programs in California
- #11 Best Online Business Programs in California
- #14 Best Psychology Colleges in California
- #14 Best Online Nursing Programs in California
- #19 Most Affordable Online Master's in Mathematics
- #23 Best Online Colleges in California
Can I Get In?
How selective MiraCosta College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into MiraCosta College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
MiraCosta College, located in Oceanside, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 41%.
- Retention Rate
- 91%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 23%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $14,957
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 19:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.68
- First-Gen Students
- 51%
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend MiraCosta College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at MiraCosta College is $9,750, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $7,339. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,535 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,158
- Out-of-State
- $9,750
- Avg Net Price
- $7,339
- Median Debt
- $9,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 27%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 2%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $6,535
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $5,560
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $9,222
- Family Income $110K+
- $12,855
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at MiraCosta College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is MiraCosta College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of MiraCosta College report median earnings of $43,845, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $37,965
- 8 Years
- $40,003
- 10 Years
- $43,845
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.21x
- Earning > $25K
- 43%
Earnings Trajectory
How MiraCosta Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is MiraCosta College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, MiraCosta College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,339/year ($29,356 total). Graduates earn $43,845 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,040,373 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,011,017 (35.4× your investment). The median debt is $9,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 41% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $29,356
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,040,373
- Net Return
- $1,011,017
- ROI Multiple
- 35.4×
- Cost Per Year
- $7,339
- Median Debt
- $9,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 41%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does MiraCosta College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
MiraCosta College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.53%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 13.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 11.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $71,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.53%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 11.5%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 13.4%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $96,736
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
MiraCosta College produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 8 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.25%
- Top 71% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 8
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 82
- Downstream influence
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 0.43%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields MiraCosta College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Humanities 41%
- Business & Marketing 12%
- Health Professions 5% $56,154 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 5%
- Psychology 4%
- Social Sciences 2%
- Communications 2%
- Visual & Performing Arts 1%
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for MiraCosta College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into MiraCosta College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
MiraCosta College, located in Oceanside, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 41%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend MiraCosta College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at MiraCosta College is $9,750, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $7,339. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $6,535 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,000 in federal student loans.
Is MiraCosta College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of MiraCosta College report median earnings of $43,845, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
Does MiraCosta College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
MiraCosta College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.53%, well above the typical college. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 13.4% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 11.5% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $71,200, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is MiraCosta College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at MiraCosta College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.24, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.07). Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to MiraCosta College.
- Florida SouthWestern State CollegeFort Myers, FL · Close peer39% grad $43,421 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Daytona State CollegeDaytona Beach, FL · Close peer42% grad $37,096 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- Tallahassee State CollegeTallahassee, FL · Close peer37% grad $37,561 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size · similar net price
- Pikes Peak State CollegeColorado Springs, CO · Close peer22% grad $40,796 earnWhy: similar earnings
- Eastern Florida State CollegeMelbourne, FL · Close peer52% grad $37,195 earnWhy: similar size
- Cypress CollegeCypress, CA · Close peer36% grad $43,533 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is MiraCosta College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at MiraCosta College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.24, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.07). Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note