San Diego Mesa College

San Diego, California

Public City: Large

San Diego Mesa College is a public institution in San Diego, California enrolling 16,098 students, according to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.. Graduates earn a median of $45,120 ten years after enrollment, based on U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal financial aid data. The average net price after financial aid is $5,814. This profile includes admissions data, graduation rates, program-level earnings, and cost breakdowns to help students compare colleges using official federal data.

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for San Diego Mesa College

San Diego Mesa College operates as a public institution located in San Diego, California (city: large), with a total reported enrollment of 16,098 students of which 30,204 are undergraduates. Institution-level records in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) classify each school by Carnegie category, ownership sector, and urban/rural locale, which is how this profile’s peer group and cost cohort are determined. San Diego Mesa College is categorized as “14” under the Carnegie classification system, a meaningful signal when comparing like-to-like institutions.

Selectivity and financial signals give context to what applicants can expect. Admission rate data is not currently reported for this institution. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $5,814, with published in-state tuition of $1,146 and a Pell grant recipient share of 15.7%. Median federal student debt at graduation is $4,725, drawn from the U.S. Treasury-matched College Scorecard file.

Outcomes reveal whether the investment pays back. The 4-year completion rate is 34.3%. Graduates earn a median of $45,120 ten years after enrolling, compared with $35,773 six years post-enrollment. Within three years of entering repayment, 99700.0% of borrowers are making progress on their federal loans, and 52.5% of graduates earn above the high-school threshold. Treating these numbers as a single snapshot alongside the cost cohort is the standard approach for evaluating ROI under the College Scorecard methodology.

Quick Facts

16,098
Total enrollment
Acceptance rate
SAT average
34.3%
4-yr graduation rate
$45,120
10-yr median earnings
First-year retention

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $1,146
Out-of-State Tuition $10,002
Average Net Price $5,814

Net Price by Family Income

$0 – $30,000 $3,842
$30,001 – $48,000 $5,316
$48,001 – $75,000 $8,883
Over $110,000 $13,977
15.7%
Pell Grant Rate
1.8%
Federal Loan Rate
$4,725
Median Debt
$50/mo
Monthly Payment

Student Demographics

White 27.8%
African American 6.9%
Hispanic or Latino 42.3%
Asian 13.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Pacific Islander 0.5%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.6%
International 0.4%
53.3%
Female
48.8%
First Generation

Outcomes

34.3%
4-Year Completion Rate
$35,773
Median Earnings (6yr)
$45,120
Median Earnings (10yr)
52.5%
Earning Over $25K
99700.0%
Loan Repayment (3yr)

Programs & Earnings

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
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Certificate 17 $32,284
Design and Applied Arts Associate's 16 $20,478

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. Total enrollment is 16,098 students.
How much do San Diego Mesa College graduates earn?
Graduates of San Diego Mesa College earn a median of $45,120 ten years after enrollment. Six years after enrollment, median earnings are $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 4-year completion rate of 34.3%.
Is San Diego Mesa College worth the student debt?
The median student debt at San Diego Mesa College is $4,725, while graduates earn a median of $45,120 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 10% of first-year post-graduation earnings. 99700.0% of borrowers are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $50.

Data Sources

Data as of 2024-25 academic year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Primary: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. Data reflects most recent available year.

Institutional characteristics: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) institutional characteristics file.

Earnings: Median earnings 6 and 10 years after enrollment, from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid data.

Program data: Credential-level earnings from the College Scorecard Field of Study dataset.

All federal data sources used on this page

Earnings data sourced from IRS records via the U.S. Treasury–Department of Education matching used by the College Scorecard.