City College of San Francisco vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

City College of San Francisco is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (19,267 students vs. 9,901 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

City College of San Francisco vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, City College of San Francisco 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 City College of San Francisco ($5,831 vs. $9,616).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at City College of San Francisco are 14% lower than at College of San Mateo ($26,907 vs. $31,288).
• City College of San Francisco is 27.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $364 more per year; $1,696.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.7% higher at City College of San Francisco than at College of San Mateo (about $3,272 more per year; $14,656.00 vs. $11,384.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of San Mateo than at City College of San Francisco (80% vs. 56%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by City College of San Francisco students is 66.8% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($7,318 vs. $4,386).

City College of San Francisco vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, City College of San Francisco or CSM? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CSM and City College of San Francisco.

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

City College of San Francisco vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for City College of San Francisco and CSM? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from College of San Mateo earn a median of about $3,800 more per year than City College of San Francisco graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $41,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of San Mateo graduates have a $1,250 lower median loan debt than City College of San Francisco graduates ($7,000 vs. $8,250).
• Among borrowers, CSM graduates have an estimated $13 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than City College of San Francisco graduates ($72 vs. $85).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of San Francisco students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 39%)

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.