Orange Coast College
- Graduation Rate
- 46% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $47,348 B-
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $7,203 A-
- 58% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 16,091
Bottom line: A B overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 48.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $48.0 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $48.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,354,550.
What The Data Says
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A B overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Every $1 invested returns $48.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Orange Coast College Matters
Orange Coast College is a public college in Costa Mesa, CA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 16,091
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Humanities, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Visual & Performing Arts
Why students choose Orange Coast 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 $7,203 a year after grants and scholarships — 58% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $47,348 ten years after enrolling — 16% above the typical college, against $9,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.42 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Orange Coast College serves over 16,000 students and maintains a net price of just $7,203, making it an accessible option for many. The graduation rate stands at 46%, indicating that almost half of students complete their programs within a reasonable timeframe. This affordability combined with a large enrollment highlights its role as a key educational resource in California.
While specific mobility data is not available, the earnings potential for graduates is notable. After ten years, alumni report an average income of $47,348. This suggests that students can expect a reasonable return on their educational investment, especially given the low median debt of $9,500. These figures reflect an environment that can lead to financial stability for graduates.
Students who thrive at Orange Coast College often seek programs in Humanities, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Computer Science & IT, and Visual & Performing Arts. The institution attracts a diverse student body, including a significant percentage of Pell Grant recipients at 24%. This diversity, paired with low costs and solid earning potential, makes Orange Coast College a strong choice for many aspiring students.
Can I Get In?
How selective Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Orange Coast College, located in Costa Mesa, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 46%.
- Retention Rate
- 74%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 33%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $13,984
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 27:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.73
- 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 Orange Coast College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Orange Coast College is $11,640, 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 $7,203. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,562 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,392
- Out-of-State
- $11,640
- Avg Net Price
- $7,203
- Median Debt
- $9,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 24%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 2%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $5,562
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $6,354
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $9,216
- Family Income $110K+
- $13,862
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 Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Orange Coast College earn a median of $47,348, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $35,739
- 8 Years
- $41,273
- 10 Years
- $47,348
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.2x
- Earning > $25K
- 53%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (453)
- 20%
- 100% (453)
- 20%
- 100% (453)
- 20%
- 100% (453)
- 20%
How Orange Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Orange Coast College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Orange Coast College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $7,203/year ($28,812 total). Graduates earn $47,348 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,383,362 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,354,550 (48.0× your investment). The median debt is $9,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 46% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $28,812
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,383,362
- Net Return
- $1,354,550
- ROI Multiple
- 48.0×
- Cost Per Year
- $7,203
- Median Debt
- $9,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 46%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-7,462,280
Top Programs
The fields Orange Coast 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 39%
- Business & Marketing 10% $24,334 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 5%
- Visual & Performing Arts 5%
- Health Professions 5% $68,820 early-career
- Psychology 3% $28,558 early-career
- Communications 3% $22,304 early-career
- Social Sciences 3%
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 Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Orange Coast College, located in Costa Mesa, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 46%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Orange Coast College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Orange Coast College is $11,640, 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 $7,203. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $5,562 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $9,500 in federal student loans.
Is Orange Coast College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Orange Coast College earn a median of $47,348, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
How Connected Is Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.42, 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 Orange Coast College.
- Santa Rosa Junior CollegeSanta Rosa, CA · Close peer36% grad $47,224 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · same state
- City College of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA · Close peer40% grad $45,805 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Chabot CollegeHayward, CA · Close peer44% grad $48,143 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Palomar CollegeSan Marcos, CA · Close peer36% grad $42,300 earnWhy: similar size · same state
- William Rainey Harper CollegePalatine, IL · Close peer47% grad $48,071 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate
- College of Lake CountyGrayslake, IL · Close peer38% grad $43,424 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar net price
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Orange Coast 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 Orange Coast College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.42, 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