10-yr median earnings
$45,120
Federal aid recipients only
Public · San Diego, California
San Diego Mesa College
San Diego Mesa College is a public institution in San Diego, California. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.
- $5,814
- Avg net price / yr
- $45,120
- 10-yr median earnings
- 34.3%
- 150%-time completion
The verdict
San Diego Mesa College posts above-median former-student earnings.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- Top 39%
- former-student earnings, US
- 34.3%
- 150%-time completion
- +26%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Large
Carnegie: Bacc/Assoc's
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this San Diego Mesa College profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Baccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's Dominant"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
C+
College Value Score
62/100
San Diego Mesa College
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings C
$45,120
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price A+
$5,814
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
34.3%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt A+
$4,725
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment C-
61.0%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention N/A
N/A
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$5,814
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
34.3%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 34.3%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - San Diego Mesa College vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How San Diego Mesa College ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
San Diego Mesa College: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$45,120 Top 39% higher than 61% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | San Diego Mesa College | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $45,120 | #1998 of 5103 | 61st |
| Average net price | $5,814 | #451 of 5020 | 91st (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 34.3% | #4010 of 4858 | 17th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 16,098 | #188 of 5462 | 97th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
16,098
Undergraduate enrollment
-
Acceptance rate
-
SAT average
34.3%
150%-time completion
$45,120
10-yr median earnings
-
First-year retention
How San Diego Mesa College ranks in California
State rank among 493 reporting California colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | San Diego Mesa College | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $45,120 | #203 of 493 | 59th |
| Average net price | $5,814 | #50 of 495 | 90th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 34.3% | #422 of 483 | 13th |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 16,098 | #41 of 553 | 93rd |
Highest former-student earnings in California
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samuel Merritt University | $143,238 | - |
| 2 | Harvey Mudd College | $138,687 | $35,924 |
| 3 | California Institute of Technology | $128,566 | $16,075 |
| 4 | Stanford University | $124,080 | $13,807 |
| 5 | Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health | $115,318 | - |
| 6 | Gnomon | $114,785 | $51,949 |
| 7 | Santa Clara University | $109,183 | $50,062 |
| 8 | Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University | $109,183 | - |
| 9 | Touro University California | $104,805 | - |
| 10 | Claremont McKenna College | $104,736 | $28,849 |
| 11 | West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County | $102,672 | $32,879 |
| 12 | West Coast University-Ontario | $102,672 | $49,590 |
| 203 | San Diego Mesa CollegeThis school | $45,120 | $5,814 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at San Diego Mesa College
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k $3,842
$0 – $30k
$3,842 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k $5,316
$30k – $48k
$5,316 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$8,883 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$13,977 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at San Diego Mesa College - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $1,146 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $10,002 |
| Average Net Price | $5,814 |
15.7%
Pell Grant Rate
1.8%
Federal Loan Rate
$4,725
Median Debt
$50/mo
Monthly Payment
In one of these years, aid at San Diego Mesa College exceeded the cost of attendance
Average net price went from $6,824 in 2013 to -$904 in 2023: a fall of $7,728. One of those figures is negative, meaning the average grant and scholarship aid received exceeded the total cost of attendance, so a typical aided student was left with money rather than a bill. This school's change is stated in dollars only: a percentage measured across zero would describe the movement backwards.
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $6,8242023 · -$904
Over the same years, enrollment went -25.4% (21,314 → 15,899 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
53.3%
Female
48.8%
First Generation
Outcomes
$35,773
Median Earnings (6yr)
52.5%
Earning Over $25K
61.0%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 34.3% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $35,773 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $45,120 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 52.5% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 61.0% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $4,725 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $50/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate's | 14 | 1,053 | $50,787 | $62,616 | - |
| Certificate | 2 | 206 | $49,676 | $49,676 | - |
Top programs at San Diego Mesa College by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Mathematics
Mathematics
$62,616 median earnings
- Business Administration, M…
Business Administration, Management and Operations
$59,220 median earnings
- Allied Health and Medical …
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
$57,592 median earnings
- Communication and Media St…
Communication and Media Studies
$56,321 median earnings
- Veterinary/Animal Health T…
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
$53,912 median earnings
- Biological and Physical Sc…
Biological and Physical Sciences
$51,936 median earnings
- Health and Medical Adminis…
Health and Medical Administrative Services
$50,872 median earnings
- Biology, General
Biology, General
$49,919 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
| Program | Credential | Completers | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Associate's | 35 | $62,616 | - |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | 280 | $59,220 | - |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | Associate's | 39 | $57,592 | - |
| Communication and Media Studies | Associate's | 52 | $56,321 | - |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | Associate's | 20 | $53,912 | - |
| Biological and Physical Sciences | Associate's | 115 | $51,936 | - |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Associate's | 57 | $50,872 | - |
| Biology, General | Associate's | 138 | $49,919 | - |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Certificate | 189 | $49,676 | - |
| Psychology, General | Associate's | 146 | $48,650 | - |
| Sociology | Associate's | 35 | $46,618 | - |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Associate's | 80 | $44,652 | - |
| English Language and Literature, General | Associate's | 26 | $41,826 | - |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Associate's | 14 | $36,098 | - |
| Design and Applied Arts | Associate's | 16 | - | - |
Nearby Schools
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Matches use Scorecard measures among reporting colleges — not state-system recommendations or geographic proximity.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Public institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Public institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Owensboro Community and Technical College
Owensboro, KY
$5,800 net price · $14 apart
Laredo College
Laredo, TX
$5,798 net price · $16 apart
CUNY Stella and Charles Guttman Community College
New York, NY
$5,833 net price · $19 apart
St Charles Community College
Cottleville, MO
$5,837 net price · $23 apart
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the admissions statistics for San Diego Mesa College? ▼
San Diego Mesa College is a public institution in San Diego, California. Undergraduate enrollment is 16,098 students.
How much do San Diego Mesa College former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at San Diego Mesa College who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $45,120 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $35,773.
How much does San Diego Mesa College cost? ▼
The average net price at San Diego Mesa College is $5,814. In-state tuition is $1,146 and out-of-state tuition is $10,002. Median student debt at graduation is $4,725.
What is the graduation rate at San Diego Mesa College? ▼
San Diego Mesa College has a 34.3% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program).
Is San Diego Mesa College worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at San Diego Mesa College is $4,725, while former students earn a median of $45,120 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 10% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 61.0% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $50.
Sources & methodology
Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.
Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from San Diego Mesa College
- Compare San Diego Mesa College against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in California side by side.Browse California
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.