Cuesta College vs. CSM

Should I go to Cuesta College or College of San Mateo? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cuesta College or CSM 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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Cuesta College vs. College of San Mateo comparison
Cuesta College College of San Mateo College 3 College 4
College of San Mateo
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Overview

Cuesta College CSM
Location San Luis Obispo, CA San Mateo, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 9,908 7,512
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cuesta.edu collegeofsanmateo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cuesta College CSM
Tuition (In State) $1,288 $1,288
Tuition (Out of State) $9,296 $9,408
Room & Board $17,784 $20,858
Avg Net Price $14,507 $6,344
Avg Grant Aid $4,559 $7,086
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 64%

Admission

Cuesta College CSM
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 13, 2025

Academics

Cuesta College CSM
Student to Faculty Ratio 27:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (19%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)

Outcomes

Cuesta College CSM
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,800 $44,800
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 58%
Median Student Loan Debt $11,250 $7,000
Median Loan Payment $116 $72

Diversity

Cuesta College CSM
% Men 49% 49%
% Women 51% 51%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 28%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 27% 30%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 2%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Cuesta College CSM
% In-State 95% 91%
% Out-of-State 0% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Cuesta College is larger than than CSM based on total student enrollment (9,908 students vs. 7,512 students)

Cuesta College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cuesta College or CSM?

  • Cuesta College and CSM cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.2% higher at CSM than Cuesta College ($9,408.00 vs. $9,296.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of San Mateo than Cuesta College ($6,344 vs. $14,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cuesta College are 17.3% lower than costs at College of San Mateo ($17,784 vs. $20,858)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Cuesta College than College of San Mateo (86% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of San Mateo students is 55.4% larger than aid received Cuesta College ($7,086 vs. $4,559)

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

Cuesta College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cuesta College or CSM? 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 CSM and Cuesta College.

  • Graduates from College of San Mateo earn on average $4,000 more per year than Cuesta College graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $40,800)
  • College of San Mateo students graduate with a $4,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Cuesta College graduates. ($7,000 vs. $11,250)
  • CSM graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than Cuesta College graduates. ($72 vs. $116)
  • More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cuesta College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 51%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/