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Compare Chaffey College vs San Diego Mesa College

Rancho Cucamonga, CA · San Diego, CA

Chaffey CollegeSan Diego Mesa College
Cost
Price after aid (average)$5,672/yr$5,814/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$4,529/yr$3,842/yr
Typical loan debt at graduationNo data reported$4,725
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$4,666/yr$5,316/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$7,498/yr$8,883/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$9,485/yr$13,576/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$11,905/yr$13,977/yr
Typical loan payment after graduationNo data reported$50/mo
Room & board (off campus)$25,038/yr$31,243/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,062/yr$1,062/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$14,451/yr$19,371/yr
Tuition (in-state)$1,184/yr$1,146/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$11,120/yr$10,002/yr
Students with Pell Grants29%16%
Students taking federal loans0.5%1.8%
Getting in
SAT/ACT policyOpen admission (everyone qualified gets in)Open admission (everyone qualified gets in)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate36%35%
Freshmen who come back69%No data reported
Typical earnings 10 years in$42,975/yr$45,120/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$21,044–$66,788$20,924–$71,725
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)27%24%
White students graduatingNo data reported36%
Black students graduatingNo data reported28%
Hispanic students graduatingNo data reported29%
Asian students graduatingNo data reported51%
Typical earnings 6 years in$33,265/yr$35,773/yr
Earn more than a HS grad56%65%
Graduate on time9%92%
Pell students who graduateNo data reported31%
First-gen students who finishNo data reported12%
Low-income students who finishNo data reported12%
Students who transfer out9.5%16%
Typical earnings 8 years in$37,516/yr$40,734/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsBusiness, Management & Marketing 18% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 16% · Health Professions 8%Business, Management & Marketing 19% · Liberal Arts & General Studies 15% · Health Professions 10%
Most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 18% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 19% of degrees
2nd most popular programLiberal Arts & General Studies — 16% of degreesLiberal Arts & General Studies — 15% of degrees
3rd most popular programHealth Professions — 8% of degreesHealth Professions — 10% of degrees
4th most popular programPsychology — 7% of degreesMulti/Interdisciplinary Studies — 9% of degrees
5th most popular programCommunication & Journalism — 5% of degreesPsychology — 8% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities — $23,532/yrNo data reported
Degrees in STEM11%13%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment18,13216,098
Students per professor25 : 123 : 1
Average professor pay$12,395/mo$10,642/mo
Full-time professors21%38%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited byWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior CollegesWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Median family income$18,960$18,693
SettingSuburb (large)City (large)
LocationRancho Cucamonga, CASan Diego, CA
RegionFar WestFar West
Founded18831963
Public or privatePublicPublic
Main degree offeredAssociate degreesAssociate degrees
Carnegie classificationAssociate's Colleges: High Transfer-High TraditionalBaccalaureate/Associate's Colleges: Associate's Dominant
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students0.4%0.4%
Men40%45%
Women60%55%
White students12%28%
Black students6.3%6.9%
Hispanic or Latino students65%42%
Asian students7.6%13%
Two or more races3.1%7.7%
Other / not reported4.8%1.7%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students56%49%
Part-time students62%83%
Students age 25+35%32%
Spent on teaching per student$5,915/yr$4,552/yr
Endowment$3.0MNo data reported
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingNo — no campus housingNo — no campus housing
Meal plan offeredNoNo
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationNoneNone
Study abroadNoYes
Undergraduate researchNoNo
ROTCNoNo
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceYesNo
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineYesYes
Weekend & evening classesYesYes
Teacher certificationYesNo
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careYesYes
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoNo
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolNoNo
Credit for military trainingYesYes
Student veteran organizationYesYes
Tuition payment planYesNo
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelCCCAACCCAA
Football teamYesYes
Varsity teams1418
Student athletes383414
Athletic scholarships$0$0
Athletics budget$3.1M$3.3M
Athletics revenue$3.1M$3.3M
Recruiting spend$0$0

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.