Coastline Community College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

Compare Coastline Community College in Fountain Valley, CA with College of San Mateo in San Mateo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College of San Mateo is larger than Coastline Community College based on total student enrollment (9,901 students vs. 9,008 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Coastline Community College is located in Fountain Valley, CA (Small City setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• Coastline Community 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: Coastline Community College 39:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

Coastline Community College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Coastline Community 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 Coastline Community College ($5,831 vs. $16,972).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Coastline Community College are 24.4% lower than at College of San Mateo ($23,659 vs. $31,288).
• Coastline Community College is 2.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $32 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2% higher at Coastline Community College than at College of San Mateo (about $228 more per year; $11,612.00 vs. $11,384.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of San Mateo than at Coastline Community College (80% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Coastline Community College students is 24.4% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($5,455 vs. $4,386).

Coastline Community College vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Coastline Community 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 Coastline Community College.

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

Coastline Community College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Coastline Community 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 $4,200 more per year than Coastline Community College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $40,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Coastline Community College graduates have a $1,750 lower median loan debt than CSM graduates ($5,250 vs. $7,000).
• Among borrowers, Coastline Community College graduates have an estimated $18 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CSM graduates ($54 vs. $72).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Coastline Community College 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.