Riverside City College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

Riverside City College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (21,730 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

Riverside City College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Riverside City 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 Riverside City College ($5,831 vs. $10,174).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Riverside City College are 14.5% lower than at College of San Mateo ($26,740 vs. $31,288).
• Riverside City College is 7.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSM (about $96 more per year; $1,428.00 vs. $1,332.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 9.8% higher at Riverside City College than at College of San Mateo (about $1,114 more per year; $12,498.00 vs. $11,384.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of San Mateo than at Riverside City College (80% vs. 78%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Riverside City College students is 47.4% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($6,463 vs. $4,386).

Riverside City College vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Riverside City 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 Riverside City College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Riverside City College - Open admission; CSM - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: Riverside City College Oct 20, 2026.

Riverside City College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Riverside City 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 $8,800 more per year than Riverside City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $36,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, College of San Mateo graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than Riverside City College graduates ($7,000 vs. $8,000).
• Among borrowers, CSM graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Riverside City College graduates ($72 vs. $82).
• More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Riverside City College students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 41%)

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.