Colleges in Costa Mesa, CA
The 5 colleges, community colleges and trade schools in Costa Mesa that are currently approved for federal student aid, with cost, completion and every field each one taught in 2023-24. A complete list, not a ranking.
College Scorecard
- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Currently operating Title IV schools (CURROPER = 1). Cost = average annual cost of attendance (COSTT4_A, or COSTT4_P for program-year schools), net price = NPT4_PUB / NPT4_PRIV, both 2024-25; completion = C150_4 (four-year schools, fall 2019 cohort) or C150_L4 (fall 2022 cohort), within 150% of normal time.
View sourceSchools in Costa Mesa
Grouped by type. Open "Fields taught" to see each field of study and the highest award the school made in it in 2023-24.
Universities and 4-year colleges (2)
- Pacific CollegePrivate for-profit · 225 undergraduatesCost $31,727 a year · net price $24,579
Fields taught: 2, up to master's
- Vanguard University of Southern CaliforniaPrivate nonprofit · 1,933 undergraduatesCost $56,063 a year · net price $23,231 · completion 55%
Fields taught: 15, up to master's
Community and 2-year colleges (1)
- Orange Coast CollegePublic · 16,091 undergraduatesCost $11,776 a year · net price $1,850 · completion 49%
Fields taught: 29, up to associate
Trade and career schools (under 2 years) (2)
- Homestead Schools-Costa MesaPrivate nonprofit · 32 undergraduatesCost $22,322 a year · net price $14,972
Fields taught: 1, up to certificate
- Paul Mitchell the School-Costa MesaPrivate for-profit · 395 undergraduatesCost $26,646 a year · net price $20,740 · completion 86%
Fields taught: 1, up to certificate
Cost and completion side by side
Cost is the average yearly cost of attendance before aid; net price subtracts the average grant and scholarship aid (full-time first-year students with federal aid, 2024-25). Completion = finished within 150% of normal time.
| School | Type | Cost a year | Net price | Completion | Undergraduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homestead Schools-Costa Mesa | Under 2-year · Private nonprofit | $22,322 | $14,972 | — | 32 |
| Orange Coast College | 2-year · Public | $11,776 | $1,850 | 49% | 16,091 |
| Pacific College | 4-year · Private for-profit | $31,727 | $24,579 | — | 225 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Costa Mesa | Under 2-year · Private for-profit | $26,646 | $20,740 | 86% | 395 |
| Vanguard University of Southern California | 4-year · Private nonprofit | $56,063 | $23,231 | 55% | 1,933 |
— = not reported for that school. Looking for a program? Programs by career lists every school in the country that awards it.
About these numbers
- Which schools
- Every school in the College Scorecard file of 15 Oct 2026 that is currently operating and approved for federal student aid (Title IV). Schools that do not take federal aid are not in the file.
College Scorecard
College Scorecard data, Most Recent Institution-Level file (release of 15 Oct 2026)U.S. Department of Education- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Currently operating Title IV schools (CURROPER = 1). Cost = average annual cost of attendance (COSTT4_A, or COSTT4_P for program-year schools), net price = NPT4_PUB / NPT4_PRIV, both 2024-25; completion = C150_4 (four-year schools, fall 2019 cohort) or C150_L4 (fall 2022 cohort), within 150% of normal time.
View source - Type and control
- The federal "level of institution" (4-year, 2-year, less than 2-year) and control (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit) as the school reports them.
- Cost a year
- Average annual cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, and living expenses, for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal aid, 2024-25. Program-year schools (most trade schools) report it per program year.
College Scorecard
College Scorecard data dictionary and cohort mapU.S. Department of Education- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Net price
- That cost minus the average grant and scholarship aid, 2024-25. What a family pays depends on income: every school's own net price calculator gives a personal estimate.
- Completion
- Share of full-time, first-time students who completed a degree or certificate at the school within 150% of normal time: at four-year schools, students who started in fall 2019 (or the 2019-20 year); at other schools, fall 2022 (or 2022-23). Rounded to a whole percent.
- Fields and doctorates
- From the awards each school reported to NCES IPEDS for 2023-24 (July 2023 – June 2024, first majors), grouped into CIP 2020 families; the level shown is the highest award made in that family that year. A school that made no award in a field that year is not listed for it.
NCES IPEDS
IPEDS Completions, 2023-24 (complete data file C2024_A)National Center for Education Statistics- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Not shown
- Rankings, admission chances and program accreditation. Check accreditation with the accreditor and in the Department of Education's DAPIP database before you enroll.
Where these facts come from
Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.
- College Scorecard data, Most Recent Institution-Level file (release of 15 Oct 2026) · U.S. Department of Education checked 2026-10-21
- IPEDS Completions, 2023-24 (complete data file C2024_A) · National Center for Education Statistics checked 2026-10-21
- College Scorecard data dictionary and cohort map · U.S. Department of Education checked 2026-10-21
- Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020, code file · National Center for Education Statistics checked 2026-10-21
- College Navigator · National Center for Education Statistics checked 2026-10-07