San Diego Mesa College
- Graduation Rate
- 34% D
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $45,120 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $5,814 A
- 66% less than the typical college
- Enrollment
- 16,098
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 52.4× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $52.4 over 20 years.
Every $1 spent returns $52.4 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,194,476.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduation of 34% — 40% below the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $52.4 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why San Diego Mesa College Matters
San Diego Mesa College is a public community college in San Diego, 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 Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 16,098
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HSI
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Humanities, Health Professions, Psychology
Why students choose San Diego Mesa 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 $5,814 a year after grants and scholarships — 66% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $45,120 ten years after enrolling — 11% above the typical college, against $4,725 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.23 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
San Diego Mesa College enrolls over 16,000 students, making it one of the largest community colleges in California. With a net price of just $5,814, it stands out for affordability in higher education. This is crucial for students looking to minimize debt while pursuing their degrees.
According to Opportunity Insights data, the college's economic mobility outcomes are less defined, but it serves a diverse student body, including a 16% Pell Grant rate. This indicates a commitment to supporting low-income students, which can play a significant role in upward mobility and access to better job opportunities.
Graduates of San Diego Mesa College earn a median income of $45,120 within ten years of completing their studies. With a median debt of only $4,725, students can graduate with manageable financial obligations. Those who thrive here are typically focused on practical fields such as Business, Health Professions, and Psychology, aiming for careers that lead to stable employment and growth.
Rankings
- #40 Best Online Computer Science Programs in California
- #43 Best Online Nursing Programs in California
- #45 Most Affordable Online Master's in Engineering
- #45 Most Affordable Online Master's in Mechanical Engineering
- #45 Most Affordable Online Master's in Electrical Engineering
- #45 Most Affordable Online Master's in Civil Engineering
- #45 Best Online Business Programs in California
Can I Get In?
How selective San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
San Diego Mesa College, located in San Diego, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
- Full-Time Faculty
- 38%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $10,642
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 24:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.72
- First-Gen Students
- 49%
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 San Diego Mesa College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at San Diego Mesa College is $10,002, 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 $5,814. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,842 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $4,725 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $1,146
- Out-of-State
- $10,002
- Avg Net Price
- $5,814
- Median Debt
- $4,725
- Pell Grant Rate
- 16%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 2%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $3,842
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $5,316
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $8,883
- Family Income $110K+
- $13,977
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 San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of San Diego Mesa College earn a median of $45,120, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $35,773
- 8 Years
- $40,734
- 10 Years
- $45,120
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.1x
- Earning > $25K
- 53%
Earnings Trajectory
How San 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 San Diego Mesa College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, San Diego Mesa College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $5,814/year ($23,256 total). Graduates earn $45,120 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,217,732 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,194,476 (52.4× your investment). The median debt is $4,725, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 34% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $23,256
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,217,732
- Net Return
- $1,194,476
- ROI Multiple
- 52.4×
- Cost Per Year
- $5,814
- Median Debt
- $4,725
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 34%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Top Programs
The fields San Diego Mesa 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.
- Business & Marketing 19% $28,558 early-career
- Humanities 15%
- Health Professions 10% $56,154 early-career
- Psychology 8% $31,771 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 6% $29,935 early-career
- Social Sciences 5% $29,935 early-career
- Visual & Performing Arts 4% $24,332 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 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 San Diego Mesa 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+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPharmacist$136,030 · 3% growthResilient 82
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into San Diego Mesa College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
San Diego Mesa College, located in San Diego, California, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 34%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend San Diego Mesa College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at San Diego Mesa College is $10,002, 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 $5,814. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $3,842 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $4,725 in federal student loans.
Is San Diego Mesa College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of San Diego Mesa College earn a median of $45,120, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
How Connected Is San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.23, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.10). Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to San Diego Mesa College.
- Cypress CollegeCypress, CA · Close peer36% grad $43,533 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Northwest Vista CollegeSan Antonio, TX · Close peer32% grad $42,490 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Florida State College at JacksonvilleJacksonville, FL · Close peer35% grad $42,244 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- San Antonio CollegeSan Antonio, TX · Close peer24% grad $39,711 earnWhy: similar size
- MiraCosta CollegeOceanside, CA · Close peer41% grad $43,845 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Modesto Junior CollegeModesto, CA · Close peer28% grad $42,368 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is San Diego Mesa 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 San Diego Mesa College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.23, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias sits near the middle of the range (0.10). Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note