San Diego City College vs. CSM

Comparable Facts

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

San Diego City College is larger than CSM based on total student enrollment (13,242 students vs. 9,901 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• San Diego City College is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
• San Diego 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: San Diego City College 22:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

San Diego City College vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, San Diego 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 San Diego City College ($5,831 vs. $10,040).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Diego City College are 0.1% lower than at College of San Mateo ($31,243 vs. $31,288).
• College of San Mateo is 16.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than San Diego City College (about $186 more per year; $1,332.00 vs. $1,146.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 13.8% higher at CSM than at San Diego City College (about $1,382 more per year; $11,384.00 vs. $10,002.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at San Diego City College than at College of San Mateo (87% vs. 80%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by San Diego City College students is 139.4% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($10,500 vs. $4,386).

San Diego City College vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, San Diego 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 San Diego City College.

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

San Diego City College vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for San Diego 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 $11,600 more per year than San Diego City College graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $33,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, San Diego City College graduates have a $2,500 lower median loan debt than CSM graduates ($4,500 vs. $7,000).
• Among borrowers, San Diego City College 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 San Diego City 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.