Golden West College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

Compare Golden West College in Huntington Beach, CA with College of San Mateo in San Mateo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Golden West College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (10,721 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Golden West College is located in Huntington Beach, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• Golden West 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: Golden West College 29:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

Golden West College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Golden West 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 Golden West College ($5,831 vs. $6,681).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Golden West College are 24.4% lower than at College of San Mateo ($23,659 vs. $31,288).
• Golden West College is 3.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $48 more per year; $1,380.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 2.1% higher at Golden West College than at College of San Mateo (about $244 more per year; $11,628.00 vs. $11,384.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Golden West College than at College of San Mateo (82% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Golden West College students is 56.2% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($6,849 vs. $4,386).

Golden West College vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Golden West 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 Golden West College.

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

Golden West College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Golden West 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 $7,800 more per year than Golden West College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $37,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Golden West College graduates have a $1,516 lower median loan debt than CSM graduates ($5,484 vs. $7,000).
• Among borrowers, Golden West College graduates have an estimated $16 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CSM graduates ($56 vs. $72).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Golden West College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 53%)

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.