CRC vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

Cosumnes River College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (15,744 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cosumnes River College is located in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• Cosumnes River College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of San Mateo is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cosumnes River College 29:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

CRC vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CRC 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 CRC ($5,831 vs. $8,043).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cosumnes River College are 29.4% lower than at College of San Mateo ($22,086 vs. $31,288).
• College of San Mateo is 3.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than CRC (about $44 more per year; $1,332.00 vs. $1,288.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.8% higher at CRC than at College of San Mateo (about $1,232 more per year; $12,616.00 vs. $11,384.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cosumnes River College than at College of San Mateo (92% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Cosumnes River College students is 14.4% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($5,017 vs. $4,386).

CRC vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CRC 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 CRC.

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

CRC vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CRC 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 San Mateo earn a median of about $13,000 more per year than CRC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $31,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of San Mateo graduates have a $2,500 lower median loan debt than CRC graduates ($7,000 vs. $9,500).
• Among borrowers, CSM graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CRC graduates ($72 vs. $98).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CRC students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 28%)

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.