College of the Canyons vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

Compare College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, 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 the Canyons is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (18,075 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• College of the Canyons is located in Santa Clarita, CA (Midsize Suburban setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• College of the Canyons 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 the Canyons 25:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

College of the Canyons vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, College of the Canyons 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 the Canyons than CSM ($5,760 vs. $5,831).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of the Canyons are 29.4% lower than at College of San Mateo ($22,086 vs. $31,288).
• College of San Mateo is 14.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than College of the Canyons (about $166 more per year; $1,332.00 vs. $1,166.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3.9% higher at CSM than at College of the Canyons (about $426 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $10,958.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of the Canyons than at College of San Mateo (83% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of the Canyons students is 4.8% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($4,597 vs. $4,386).

College of the Canyons vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, College of the Canyons 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 College of the Canyons.

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

College of the Canyons vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for College of the Canyons 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 the Canyons earn a median of about $2,200 more per year than CSM graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,000 vs. $44,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of San Mateo graduates have a $3,197 lower median loan debt than College of the Canyons graduates ($7,000 vs. $10,197).
• Among borrowers, CSM graduates have an estimated $33 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than College of the Canyons graduates ($72 vs. $105).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former College of the Canyons students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 36%)

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.