CSM vs. Berkeley City College

Comparable Facts

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

College of San Mateo is larger than Berkeley City College based on total student enrollment (9,901 students vs. 6,278 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of San Mateo is located in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting); Berkeley City College is in Berkeley, CA (Midsize City setting).
• College of San Mateo is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Berkeley City College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of San Mateo 24:1; Berkeley City College 33:1.

CSM vs. Berkeley City College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSM or Berkeley City College? 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 Berkeley City College ($5,831 vs. $12,695).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Berkeley City College 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 Berkeley City College (about $74 more per year; $1,332.00 vs. $1,258.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15% higher at CSM than at Berkeley City College (about $1,486 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $9,898.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of San Mateo than at Berkeley City College (80% vs. 74%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Berkeley City College students is 23.6% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($5,422 vs. $4,386).

CSM vs. Berkeley City College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSM or Berkeley City College? 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 Berkeley City College and CSM.

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

CSM vs. Berkeley City College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSM and Berkeley City College? 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 $6,600 more per year than Berkeley City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $38,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Berkeley City College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 35%)

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.