San Diego Mesa College

Frequently asked questions

About San Diego Mesa College

Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.

Where is San Diego Mesa College located?

San Diego Mesa College is located in San Diego, CA, in the United States.

What type of institution is San Diego Mesa College?

San Diego Mesa College is a public university based in CA. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.

Is San Diego Mesa College open admission?

Yes. San Diego Mesa College reports an open admission policy to the federal IPEDS survey (IPEDS, admission policy reported in the 2024-25 IC collection), which IPEDS defines as accepting any student who applies. Individual programs, often nursing and other health programs, can still set their own entry requirements, so check the program you want with the college.

What is the tuition at San Diego Mesa College?

San Diego Mesa College's published in-state tuition is approximately $1,146 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.

How many students attend San Diego Mesa College?

San Diego Mesa College reports total enrollment of approximately 19,212 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.

How much does San Diego Mesa College actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at San Diego Mesa College is approximately $5,814 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $3,842 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $3,323. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.

What is the graduation rate at San Diego Mesa College?

San Diego Mesa College reports a graduation rate of approximately 35% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.

How much student debt do graduates of San Diego Mesa College have?

Students who borrowed at San Diego Mesa College left with a median of approximately $4,725 in federal loans, and about 2% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.

How much do graduates of San Diego Mesa College earn?

Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $45,120 for students who received federal financial aid at San Diego Mesa College. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.

How should I verify final details about San Diego Mesa College?

CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with San Diego Mesa College.

How much do Business Administration graduates from San Diego Mesa College earn?

San Diego Mesa College's associate's graduates in Business Administration earned a median $59,220 four years after graduating, 22% above the $48,733 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $40,642; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth.

How much do Liberal Arts and General Studies graduates from San Diego Mesa College earn?

San Diego Mesa College's certificate graduates in Liberal Arts and General Studies earned a median $49,676 four years after graduating, 11% above the $44,906 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $33,015; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth.

Which programs at San Diego Mesa College have the highest graduate earnings?

Among the 8 programs at San Diego Mesa College with a federal earnings figure from at least 30 graduates, the highest medians four years after graduating were Business Administration, associate's ($59,220); Communication, associate's ($56,321); and Biological and Physical Sciences, associate's ($51,936) (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). That order is one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality: earnings reflect the field and where graduates go to work as well as the program.

Does San Diego Mesa College get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?

No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, San Diego Mesa College's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $53,477, above the $36,565 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in California, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.