CSM vs. Taft College

Comparable Facts

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

College of San Mateo is larger than Taft College based on total student enrollment (9,901 students vs. 4,464 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of San Mateo is located in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting); Taft College is in Taft, CA (Distant Town setting).
• College of San Mateo is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Taft College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: College of San Mateo 24:1; Taft College 28:1.

CSM vs. Taft College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSM or Taft 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 Taft College than CSM ($5,025 vs. $5,831).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Taft College are 74.1% lower than at College of San Mateo ($8,095 vs. $31,288).
• College of San Mateo is 20.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Taft College (about $224 more per year; $1,332.00 vs. $1,108.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.9% higher at CSM than at Taft College (about $532 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $10,852.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Taft College than at College of San Mateo (90% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Taft College students is 116.6% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($9,502 vs. $4,386).

CSM vs. Taft College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSM or Taft 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 Taft 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; Taft College - Open admission.

CSM vs. Taft College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSM and Taft 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 $5,200 more per year than Taft College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $39,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.