San Diego Mesa College

7250 Mesa College Dr
San Diego, CA 92111
Top Ranked (2024): View Rankings
  • One of the largest and most successful of California's 109 community colleges, San Diego Mesa College takes pride in its high academic standards, its excellent programs and services, and its personal approach to helping each individual student succeed.

School Highlights

San Diego Mesa College serves 20,693 students (19% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 32:1 is higher than the state community college average of 21:1.
Minority enrollment is 70% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the state average of 74%.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 20,693 students
  • In-state tuition: $1,380
  • Out-state tuition: $7,170
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Student:teacher ratio: 32:1
  • Minority enrollment: 70%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Top Rankings

San Diego Mesa College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in California for:

Category
Attribute
Community Size

School Overview

The teacher population of 644 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
San Diego Mesa College
(CA) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
Four or more years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
644 staff
312 staff
This chart display total faculty of San Diego Mesa College and community college average number of faculty in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of San Diego Mesa College has stayed relatively flat over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 32:1 has stayed the same over five years.
The San Diego Mesa College diversity score of 0.74 is more than the state average of 0.71. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment
20,693 students
7,900 students
This chart display the total enrollment of San Diego Mesa College and community college average number of enrollment of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
32:1
21:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of San Diego Mesa College and community college average student staff ratio of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
3,968 students
1,661 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time students enrollment of San Diego Mesa College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
16,725 students
6,239 students
This chart display the total number of Part-time students enrollment of San Diego Mesa College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
This chart display the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of San Diego Mesa College.
This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of CA.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
118 students
302 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
3,968 students
1,646 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of San Diego Mesa College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
54 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
16,725 students
6,288 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
10 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
140 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
n/a
n/a
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in San Diego Mesa College and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2017-18 school year data.
% Asian
16%
13%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in San Diego Mesa College and the percentage of Asian community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hispanic
37%
45%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in San Diego Mesa College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
6%
5%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in San Diego Mesa College and the percentage of Black community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% White
30%
26%
This chart display the percentage of White students in San Diego Mesa College and the percentage of White community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hawaiian
1%
n/a
This chart display the percentage of Hawaiian students in San Diego Mesa College and the percentage of Hawaiian community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2012-13 school year data.
% Two or more races
6%
4%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in San Diego Mesa College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Non Resident races
2%
3%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in San Diego Mesa College and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
2%
4%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in San Diego Mesa College.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in CA.
Diversity Score
0.74
0.71
This chart display the diversity score of San Diego Mesa College and the community college average diversity score of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
23%
28%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of San Diego Mesa College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of CA by year, with the latest 2014-15 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
8.49%
1.92%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$40,100
$34,700
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of San Diego Mesa College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of CA by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $1,380 is less than the state average of $1,993. The in-state tuition has grown by 20% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $7,170 is more than the state average of $7,120. The out-state tuition has grown by 6% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$1,380
$1,993
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of San Diego Mesa College and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$7,170
$7,120
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of San Diego Mesa College and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
59%
86%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in San Diego Mesa College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$5,625
$10,500
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in San Diego Mesa College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$4,283
$6,239
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in San Diego Mesa College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
100%
89%
This chart display the percent admitted of San Diego Mesa College and the community college average percent admitted of CA by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Sports

Total Sports Offered
13 sports
Sports
Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Diving, Football, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Water Polo
Source: 2021 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) , School Administrators

School Notes

  • At San Diego Mesa College, students will find a wide and diverse array of day, evening, weekend, and on-line courses leading to 176 Associate in Arts, Associate in Science degrees and certificate programs. Students may also pursue courses and programs of general interest. Because of the college's comprehensive offerings, excellent programs, uniquely talented faculty and support services, Mesa College enjoys one of the highest student transfer rates in California and the nation.Mesa students who plan to transfer to four-year colleges and universities enjoy a great advantage because of our carefully designed and articulated course of study culminating in a Liberal Arts and Sciences Degree with a designated area of emphasis that reflects the student's ultimate career focus. In addition, Mesa continually maintains and updates guaranteed transfer agreements with colleges and universities in California and throughout the nation. Students following the vocational track have similar success when they enter or advance through the job market. Unique partnerships with local industries have created pathways for upward mobility and success in high-demand occupations. Mesa College provides extensive collegiate and co-curricular experiences for students, including such opportunities as student government; 20 men's and women's intercollegiate athletic teams; clubs; performance groups; an Honors Program; Service Learning and a host of activities in which students learn leadership skills, expand their academic horizons and celebrate cultural diversity.
  • Because of the college's comprehensive offerings, its excellent programs, its uniquely talented faculty, and its support services, San Diego Mesa College enjoys one of the highest student transfer rates in California. San Diego Mesa College offers a beautiful campus environment, including a state-of-the-art Learning Resource Center, which opened in April 1998. The new Center was constructed at a cost of twenty million dollars, and its four stories occupy 107,000 square feet in the middle of the campus. The facility offers expanded library holdings, an enormous computer lab for student use, and advanced media facilities.San Diego Mesa College is fully accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does San Diego Mesa College cost?
San Diego Mesa College's tuition is approximately $1,380 for In-State students and $7,170 for Out-State students.
What is the acceptance rate of San Diego Mesa College?
The acceptance rate of San Diego Mesa College is 100%, which is higher than the state average of 89%.
What sports does San Diego Mesa College offer?
San Diego Mesa College offers 13 interscholastic sports: Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Diving, Football, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball and Water Polo.
What is San Diego Mesa College's ranking?
San Diego Mesa College ranks among the top 20% of community college in California for: Largest student body and Least debt for graduating students.

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 20,693 students
  • In-state tuition: $1,380
  • Out-state tuition: $7,170
  • Acceptance Rate: 100%
  • Student:teacher ratio: 32:1
  • Minority enrollment: 70%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For San Diego County, CA public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $1,283 per year for in-state students and $6,392 for out-of-state students. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

San Diego County, CA community colleges have a diversity score of 0.61, which is lower than the national average of 0.70. The most diverse community college in San Diego County, CA is California College San Diego. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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