College of Alameda vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

Compare College of Alameda in Alameda, 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 College of Alameda based on total student enrollment (9,901 students vs. 6,141 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of Alameda is located in Alameda, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• College of Alameda is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of San Mateo is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of Alameda 38:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

College of Alameda vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of Alameda 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 College of Alameda ($5,831 vs. $12,506).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Alameda are 27.1% lower than at College of San Mateo ($22,820 vs. $31,288).
• College of San Mateo is 5.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of Alameda (about $74 more per year; $1,332.00 vs. $1,258.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15% higher at CSM than at College of Alameda (about $1,486 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of Alameda than at College of San Mateo (86% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of Alameda students is 22.8% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($5,385 vs. $4,386).

College of Alameda vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of Alameda 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 College of Alameda.

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

College of Alameda vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of Alameda 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 $8,100 more per year than College of Alameda graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $36,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of Alameda students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 30%)

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.