Mendocino College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

College of San Mateo is larger than Mendocino College based on total student enrollment (9,901 students vs. 4,225 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mendocino College is located in Ukiah, CA (Rural Fringe setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• Mendocino 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: Mendocino College 16:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

Mendocino College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mendocino 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 Mendocino College ($5,831 vs. $9,798).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mendocino College are 47% lower than at College of San Mateo ($16,580 vs. $31,288).
• Mendocino College is 6.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $91 more per year; $1,423.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 13.8% higher at CSM than at Mendocino College (about $1,381 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $10,003.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mendocino College than at College of San Mateo (84% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mendocino College students is 63.7% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($7,180 vs. $4,386).

Mendocino College vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mendocino College or CSM? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between CSM and Mendocino College.

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

Mendocino College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Mendocino College and CSM? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from College of San Mateo earn a median of about $15,400 more per year than Mendocino College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $29,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of San Mateo graduates have a $6,000 lower median loan debt than Mendocino College graduates ($7,000 vs. $13,000).
• Among borrowers, CSM graduates have an estimated $62 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Mendocino College graduates ($72 vs. $134).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mendocino College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 30%)

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.