CSM vs. SBCC

Should I go to College of San Mateo or Santa Barbara City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSM or SBCC is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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College of San Mateo vs. Santa Barbara City College comparison
College of San Mateo Santa Barbara City College College 3 College 4
College of San Mateo Santa Barbara City College
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Overview

 CSM SBCC
Location San Mateo, CA Santa Barbara, CA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 9,208 12,345
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website collegeofsanmateo.edu sbcc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CSM SBCC
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,104
Tuition (Out of State) $11,340 $9,528
Room & Board $31,288 $20,232
Avg Net Price $6,887 $12,883
Avg Grant Aid $5,157 $5,483
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 37%

Admission

 CSM SBCC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - -
Admitted - -
Acceptance Rate Open Open
Enrolled % Open Open
Avg High School GPA - -
Typical High School Grades - -
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores
Application Deadline Aug 19, 2026

Academics

 CSM SBCC
Student to Faculty Ratio 25:1 35:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (19%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (54%)
  • General Studies (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Business (4%)
  • Social Sciences (3%)

Outcomes

 CSM SBCC
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,800 $40,400
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 39%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,000 $9,500
Median Loan Payment $72 $98

Diversity

 CSM SBCC
% Men 9% 9%
% Women 11% 9%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 28% 41%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 30% 33%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 2% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 5%
% International 6% 9%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 CSM SBCC
% In-State 90% 80%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

 CSM SBCC
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Santa Barbara City College is larger than than CSM based on total student enrollment (12,345 students vs. 9,208 students)

CSM vs. SBCC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSM or SBCC?

  • College of San Mateo is 16.7% more expensive to attend than SBCC for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19% higher at CSM than Santa Barbara City College ($11,340.00 vs. $9,528.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of San Mateo than SBCC ($6,887 vs. $12,883)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Barbara City College are 54.6% lower than costs at College of San Mateo ($20,232 vs. $31,288)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of San Mateo than Santa Barbara City College (90% vs. 37%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Barbara City College students is 6.3% larger than aid received College of San Mateo ($5,483 vs. $5,157)

Which college is harder to get into, CSM or SBCC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between SBCC or CSM .

CSM vs. SBCC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSM or SBCC? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between SBCC and CSM.

  • Graduates from College of San Mateo earn on average $4,400 more per year than SBCC graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $40,400)
  • College of San Mateo students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SBCC graduates. ($7,000 vs. $9,500)
  • CSM graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than SBCC graduates. ($72 vs. $98)
  • More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SBCC 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/