Mesa Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Mesa, Arizona. It enrolls 14,460 students (a large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Fair
52/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes11
Value57
Affordability35
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Mesa Community College does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $12,132 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$2,358
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,958
Room & Board (off-campus)
$10,872
Books & Supplies
$1,104
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$11,304
Total Cost of Attendance
$18,194
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
$10,838
$30,001 – $48,000
$11,619
$48,001 – $75,000
$13,211
$75,001 – $110,000
$15,063
Over $110,000
$18,140
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.
$1,75010%percentile
$2,11525%percentile
$7,473Medianpercentile
$9,00075%percentile
$16,24990%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
Pell recipients $5,250
↓ $2,223
No Pell $3,500
↓ $3,973
Dependent students $4,000
↓ $3,473
Independent students $4,750
↓ $2,723
Female students $4,500
↓ $2,973
Male students $4,500
↓ $2,973
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,500, less than completers ($7,473), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
6% of students who start here finish within six years. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
6%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
—
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
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $44,034 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,034
Earning > $25K
69%
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
$35,800
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$48,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$38,100
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$43,900
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$46,600
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,300, about 26% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
What this means:
Solid return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$3.6 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 14,460 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 46% are the first in their family to go to college, and 69% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
14,460
Part-Time
69%
First-Generation
46%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 42.5%6,141
Hispanic 35.4%5,120
Other 8.3%1,205
Black 6.0%868
Asian 4.1%586
International 1.6%231
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Mesa Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Mesa Community College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
104 distinct programs across
32 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.
There are 16 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$4,216
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$92,448
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
262 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
No Rank
262
100%
$92,448
Pros & Cons of Mesa Community College
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Mesa Community College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
No graduate programs offered at this institution
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Mesa Community College is a fit for
working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mesa Community College
The questions families ask most about Mesa Community College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
How much does Mesa Community College cost?
Budget around $12,132 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Mesa Community College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $44,034 a year against a net price of $12,132, about 3.6 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Mesa Community College known for?
Mostly Fine Arts, Liberal Arts, Building/Construction Finishing. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Mesa Community College graduates earn?
About $44,034 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Mesa Community College accredited?
Yes. Mesa Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Mesa Community College?
14,460 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Mesa Community College?
6% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Mesa Community College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Mesa Community College located?
Mesa Community College is located in Mesa, Arizona.
What programs does Mesa Community College offer?
104 different programs, most commonly Fine Arts, Liberal Arts, Building/Construction Finishing. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Mesa Community College?
16 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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