ECC vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

Compare El Camino Community College District in Torrance, CA with College of San Mateo in San Mateo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

El Camino Community College District is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (21,664 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• El Camino Community College District is located in Torrance, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• El Camino Community College District is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. College of San Mateo is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: El Camino Community College District 28:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

ECC vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECC 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 ECC ($5,831 vs. $8,837).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at El Camino Community College District are 37.9% lower than at College of San Mateo ($19,431 vs. $31,288).
• College of San Mateo is 16.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than ECC (about $188 more per year; $1,332.00 vs. $1,144.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 49.2% higher at CSM than at El Camino Community College District (about $3,754 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $7,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of San Mateo than at El Camino Community College District (80% vs. 70%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by El Camino Community College District students is 57.2% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($6,896 vs. $4,386).

ECC vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ECC 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 ECC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ECC - Open admission; CSM - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: ECC Aug 27, 2027.

ECC vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ECC 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 $8,400 more per year than ECC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $36,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ECC students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 25%)

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.