Monterey Peninsula College vs. CSUMB

Should I go to Monterey Peninsula College or California State University Monterey Bay? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Monterey Peninsula College or CSUMB is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Sonoma State University San Francisco State San Jose State Humboldt State University CSU UCSC UC Merced Hartnell College Sacramento State Cal State Long Beach CSU Channel Islands Cal State East Bay
Monterey Peninsula College vs. California State University Monterey Bay comparison
Monterey Peninsula College California State University Monterey Bay College 3 College 4
Monterey Peninsula College California State University Monterey Bay
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Monterey Peninsula College CSUMB
Location Monterey, CA Seaside, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,514 7,045
Type Public 2 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #861
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mpc.edu csumb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Monterey Peninsula College CSUMB
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $8,280 $17,622
Room & Board $30,771 $16,262
Avg Net Price $11,977 $11,435
Avg Grant Aid $4,594 $8,702
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 66%

Admission

 Monterey Peninsula College CSUMB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 12,568
Admitted - 11,611
Acceptance Rate Open 92.4%
Enrolled % Open 7.8%
Avg High School GPA - 3.45
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23
SAT Range 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 29, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 Monterey Peninsula College CSUMB
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (32%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (3%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 Monterey Peninsula College CSUMB
Graduation Rate - 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,900 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 31% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $14,000
Median Loan Payment N/A $144

Diversity

 Monterey Peninsula College CSUMB
% Men 44% 38%
% Women 56% 62%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 40% 31%
% Black 4% 6%
% Hispanic 37% 43%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 7%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 5%

Students

 Monterey Peninsula College CSUMB
% In-State 94% 96%
% Out-of-State 0% 2%

Campus

 Monterey Peninsula College CSUMB
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Monterey Bay is larger than than Monterey Peninsula College based on total student enrollment (7,045 students vs. 6,514 students)

Monterey Peninsula College vs. CSUMB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Monterey Peninsula College or CSUMB?

  • California State University Monterey Bay is 420.1% more expensive to attend than Monterey Peninsula College for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 112.8% higher at CSUMB than Monterey Peninsula College ($17,622.00 vs. $8,280.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Monterey Bay than Monterey Peninsula College ($11,435 vs. $11,977)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Monterey Bay are 89.2% lower than costs at Monterey Peninsula College ($16,262 vs. $30,771)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Monterey Peninsula College than California State University Monterey Bay (79% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Monterey Bay students is 89.4% larger than aid received Monterey Peninsula College ($8,702 vs. $4,594)

Which college is harder to get into, Monterey Peninsula College or CSUMB? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CSUMB or Monterey Peninsula College .

Monterey Peninsula College vs. CSUMB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Monterey Peninsula College or CSUMB? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between CSUMB and Monterey Peninsula College.

  • Graduates from California State University Monterey Bay earn on average $6,400 more per year than Monterey Peninsula College graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $38,900)
  • More CSUMB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Monterey Peninsula College students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 31%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/