Butte College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

Compare Butte College in Oroville, CA with College of San Mateo in San Mateo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Butte College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (10,968 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Butte College is located in Oroville, CA (Distant Rural setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• Butte College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of San Mateo is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Butte College 21:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

Butte College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Butte College or CSM? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of San Mateo than Butte College ($5,831 vs. $9,112).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Butte College are 42.8% lower than at College of San Mateo ($17,894 vs. $31,288).
• Butte College is 1.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $24 more per year; $1,356.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 22.7% higher at CSM than at Butte College (about $2,108 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $9,276.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Butte College than at College of San Mateo (88% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Butte College students is 52.2% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($6,677 vs. $4,386).

Butte College vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Butte College or CSM? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CSM and Butte College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Butte College - Open admission; CSM - Open admission.

Butte College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Butte College and CSM? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from College of San Mateo earn a median of about $8,400 more per year than Butte College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of San Mateo graduates have a $6,978 lower median loan debt than Butte College graduates ($7,000 vs. $13,978).
• Among borrowers, CSM graduates have an estimated $72 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Butte College graduates ($72 vs. $144).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Butte College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 32%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.