Mt. SAC vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

Mt San Antonio College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (29,971 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mt San Antonio College is located in Walnut, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• Mt San Antonio 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: Mt San Antonio College 26:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

Mt. SAC vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mt. SAC 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 Mt. SAC ($5,831 vs. $8,516).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mt San Antonio College are 18.2% lower than at College of San Mateo ($25,587 vs. $31,288).
• Mt San Antonio College is 2.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $32 more per year; $1,364.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.8% higher at CSM than at Mt San Antonio College (about $920 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $10,464.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of San Mateo than at Mt San Antonio College (80% vs. 76%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mt San Antonio College students is 57.6% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($6,911 vs. $4,386).

Mt. SAC vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mt. SAC 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 Mt. SAC.

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

Mt. SAC vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Mt. SAC 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 $5,700 more per year than Mt. SAC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $39,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Mt San Antonio College graduates have a $2,500 lower median loan debt than CSM graduates ($4,500 vs. $7,000).
• Among borrowers, Mt. SAC graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CSM graduates ($46 vs. $72).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mt. SAC students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 45%)

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.