RHC vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

Rio Hondo College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (17,441 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Rio Hondo College is located in Whittier, CA (Large Suburban setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• Rio Hondo 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: Rio Hondo College 31:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

RHC vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, RHC 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 RHC ($5,831 vs. $16,449).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rio Hondo College are 29.4% lower than at College of San Mateo ($22,086 vs. $31,288).
• Rio Hondo College is 4.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $56 more per year; $1,388.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15.2% higher at CSM than at Rio Hondo College (about $1,500 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $9,884.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rio Hondo College than at College of San Mateo (85% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Rio Hondo College students is 15.1% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($5,049 vs. $4,386).

RHC vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, RHC 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 RHC.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: RHC - Open admission; CSM - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: RHC Aug 20, 2027.

RHC vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for RHC 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 $6,300 more per year than RHC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $38,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former RHC students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 34%)

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.