C+
Above Average
Score: 57/100
Overall (traditional)
B+
Outcome Rating
74/100 · earnings-weighted

Orange Coast College

2-Year Public
📍 Costa Mesa, California 92626
🌐 orangecoastcollege.edu/
Orange Coast College — tuition $1,104 in-state, $9,888 out-of-state
Orange Coast College — tuition $1,104 in-state, $9,888 out-of-state
Orange Coast College campus, Costa Mesa, CA
Orange Coast College campus, Costa Mesa, CA. Photo: TFNorman, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
Outcomes
C+
56/100
Affordability
B+
76/100
Resources
C
50/100
Experience
B
70/100
Prestige
D
36/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

17,085
Total Enrollment
45%
Graduation Rate
73%
Retention Rate
26.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
N/A
Acceptance Rate
$7,557
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near Orange Coast College ▼

19% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

Avg Home Value
$1,450,614
Avg Monthly Rent
$3,030
1-Year Change
+6.4%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at Orange Coast College, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$47,348
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$35,739
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$9,500
Median debt at graduation
47.6%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
24.4%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 20% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 86th percentile among certificate-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (CA wage index 1.21). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at Orange Coast College

Median pay of associate's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions$68,484$91,682+40%#19 of 560#37—
Engineering—$73,237+0%#32 of 53#38—
Business Administration, Management and Operations—$60,193+24%#53 of 547#135—
Communication and Media Studies—$53,829+24%#10 of 53#13—
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities$24,128$46,454+5%#253 of 947#599—
Biological and Physical Sciences—$41,701-17%#79 of 85#82—
Psychology—$40,152+2%#48 of 106#61—

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The Orange Coast College Town Property Report

  • Avg home value near campus: $1,450,614
  • Avg rent near campus: $3,030/mo — vs ~$2,129/mo campus room rate
  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 92704 (2.7% cap, Santa Ana)

Get the free 1-page report: rent-vs-dorm math, the 3 best nearby ZIPs by yield, and the “kiddie condo” strategy parents use.

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🏆 Where Orange Coast College Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

🥈
Architectural Technology/Technician
of 15 schools
🥉
Cooking and Related Culinary Arts, General
of 53 schools
#4
Building Construction Technology/Technician
of 26 schools
#7
Child Care Provider/Assistant
of 100 schools
#8
Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer
of 100 schools
#11
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
of 100 schools
#12
Computer Programming/Programmer, General
of 100 schools
#26
Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping
of 100 schools
#29
Radio and Television
of 63 schools
#30
Biological and Physical Sciences
of 100 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $1,104 $9,888
Room $19,159
Board $800
Total Cost (On-Campus) $26,260 $35,044

Financial Aid

66%
Receive Any Aid
36%
Receive Pell Grants
2%
Take Out Loans
$7,557
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$3,105
$30,001 - $48,000$4,473
$48,001 - $75,000$7,289
$75,001 - $110,000$9,230
$110,001+$10,872

Student Demographics

17,085
Total Students
50%
Women
71%
Traditional Age (18-24)
19%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 29%
Hispanic 37%
Black 2%
Asian 21%
Two or More 5%
Non-Resident 5%

🏠 Living Arrangements

On Campus 17%
Off-Campus (Renters) 19%
With Family 64%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~3,280 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 48%
Hybrid (Some Online) 38%
Fully Online 13%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 71%
25-64 (Adult) 25%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Orange Coast College?
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution. Many schools with open enrollment or specialized programs do not report traditional acceptance rates.
How much does it cost to attend Orange Coast College?
Tuition at Orange Coast College is $1,104 for in-state students and $9,888 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $7,557.
What is the graduation rate at Orange Coast College?
The graduation rate at Orange Coast College is 45%. This graduation rate is below average. Consider factors like program type and student demographics when evaluating.
Is Orange Coast College a good school?
Orange Coast College has a Repit College Score of 57/100 (Grade: C+). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (C+): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (B+): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (C): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (B): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (D): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend Orange Coast College?
Orange Coast College has a total enrollment of 17,085 students. Most students (71%) are traditional college-age (18-24).
Is there rental demand near Orange Coast College?
Yes! Approximately 19% of students at Orange Coast College live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 3,280 students who need rental housing near campus.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for Orange Coast College — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to Orange Coast College

Compare with other 2-Year public institutions of similar size.

C+
De Anza College
Cupertino, CA · 16,990 students
C+
Reedley College
Reedley, CA · 8,174 students
C+
Imperial Valley College
Imperial, CA · 8,111 students
C+
Mission College
Santa Clara, CA · 6,669 students
C+
Pasadena City College
Pasadena, CA · 23,592 students
C+
San Diego Miramar College
San Diego, CA · 13,569 students

Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology