Fresno City College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

Fresno City College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (28,071 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Fresno City College is located in Fresno, CA (Large City setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• Fresno City 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: Fresno City College 29:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

Fresno City College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fresno City 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 Fresno City College ($5,831 vs. $9,618).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fresno City College are 42.5% lower than at College of San Mateo ($17,982 vs. $31,288).
• Fresno City College is 0.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $2 more per year; $1,334.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 12.1% higher at CSM than at Fresno City College (about $1,230 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $10,154.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Fresno City College than at College of San Mateo (92% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Fresno City College students is 64.4% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($7,210 vs. $4,386).

Fresno City College vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Fresno City 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 Fresno City College.

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

Fresno City College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Fresno City 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 College of San Mateo earn a median of about $13,100 more per year than Fresno City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $31,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Fresno City College graduates have a $3,155 lower median loan debt than CSM graduates ($3,845 vs. $7,000).
• Among borrowers, Fresno City College graduates have an estimated $33 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CSM graduates ($39 vs. $72).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fresno City College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 32%)

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.