Foothill College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

Foothill College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (12,949 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Foothill College is located in Los Altos Hills, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• Foothill 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: Foothill College 26:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

Foothill College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Foothill College 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 Foothill College ($5,831 vs. $10,805).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Foothill College are 33.5% lower than at College of San Mateo ($20,793 vs. $31,288).
• Foothill College is 17.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $233 more per year; $1,565.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 10.6% higher at Foothill College than at College of San Mateo (about $1,206 more per year; $12,590.00 vs. $11,384.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of San Mateo than at Foothill College (80% vs. 67%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by College of San Mateo students is 3.9% larger than aid received by Foothill College students ($4,386 vs. $4,223).

Foothill College vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Foothill College 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 Foothill College.

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

Foothill College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Foothill College 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 Foothill College earn a median of about $14,600 more per year than CSM graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,400 vs. $44,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of San Mateo graduates have a $1,972 lower median loan debt than Foothill College graduates ($7,000 vs. $8,972).
• Among borrowers, CSM graduates have an estimated $20 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Foothill College graduates ($72 vs. $92).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Foothill College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 46%)

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.