Mendocino College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Ukiah, California. It enrolls 2,870 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorWestern Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
56/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes11
Value66
Affordability47
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Mendocino College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Mendocino College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $8,330 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$8,330
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
28%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
3%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$1,423
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$10,003
Room & Board (off-campus)
$16,580
Books & Supplies
$1,080
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,642
Total Cost of Attendance
$17,544
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$7,306
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,869
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,025
$75,001 – $110,000
$13,673
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,32510%percentile
$3,50025%percentile
$10,836Medianpercentile
$11,00075%percentile
$21,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Dependent students $8,250
↓ $2,586
Independent students $9,625
↓ $1,211
Female students $9,500
↓ $1,336
Male students $9,500
↓ $1,336
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,364, close to what completers borrow ($10,836) but without the degree to show for it.
Graduation Rate & Retention
12% of full-time students who enrolled at Mendocino College graduate within six years, and 53% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
12%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
53%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Mendocino College earn a median of $40,243 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$40,243
Earning > $25K
65%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$29,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$35,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $5,400, about 15% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
22.9 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 61% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Mendocino College is home to 2,870 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 54% are first-generation college students, 69% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
2,870
Part-Time
69%
First-Generation
54%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Hispanic 37.7%1,083
White 37.4%1,074
Other 7.2%207
Asian 3.2%93
Black 2.0%57
International 0.2%6
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Mendocino College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: FringeUkiah, California
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
43%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
What You Can Study
Mendocino College offers
a varied set of programs:
36 distinct programs across
23 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Mendocino College is 16:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$6,000
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$11M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$114,868
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
56 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Instructors
56
100%
$114,868
Pros & Cons of Mendocino College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Mendocino College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Mendocino College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mendocino College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Mendocino College.
Is Mendocino College hard to get into?
Mendocino College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Mendocino College?
Mendocino College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Mendocino College cost?
The average net price after aid at Mendocino College is $8,330 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Mendocino College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $40,243 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $8,330 per year. That's roughly 4.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Mendocino College known for?
Mendocino College is best known for its programs in Health/Medical Preparatory, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Mendocino College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Mendocino College are $40,243, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Mendocino College accredited?
Yes. Mendocino College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges.
How many students attend Mendocino College?
Mendocino College enrolls 2,870 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Mendocino College?
Mendocino College graduates 12% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Mendocino College a public or private college?
Mendocino College is a Public institution.
Where is Mendocino College located?
Mendocino College is located in Ukiah, California.
What programs does Mendocino College offer?
Mendocino College offers 36 distinct programs. The most popular include Health/Medical Preparatory, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Mendocino College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Mendocino College is 16:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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