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Skyline College De Anza College Orange Coast College Canada College Golden West College Fullerton College Foothill College Irvine Valley College SCC Cypress College Saddleback College SMC| Santa Ana College | College of San Mateo | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
SAC | CSM | ||
| Location | Santa Ana, CA | San Mateo, CA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 23,852 | 7,512 | ||
| Type | Public 2 Year | Public 2 Year | ||
| National Ranking | ||||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | sac.edu | collegeofsanmateo.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
SAC | CSM | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $1,104 | $1,288 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $8,712 | $9,408 | ||
| Room & Board | $19,302 | $20,858 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $4,700 | $6,344 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $7,374 | $7,086 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 97% | 64% |
Admission |
SAC | CSM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | - | - | ||
| Admitted | - | - | ||
| Acceptance Rate | Open | Open | ||
| Enrolled % | Open | Open | ||
| Avg High School GPA | - | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | - | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Unavailable | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | ||||
| SAT Range | ||||
| Submit Test Scores | ||||
| Application Deadline | Apr 1, 2025 |
Academics |
SAC | CSM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 31:1 | 21:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
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Outcomes |
SAC | CSM | ||
| Graduation Rate | - | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $37,500 | $44,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 47% | 58% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $7,500 | $7,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $77 | $72 |
Diversity |
SAC | CSM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 57% | 49% | ||
| % Women | 43% | 51% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 21% | 28% | ||
| % Black | 1% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 50% | 30% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 1% | 6% | ||
| % International | 1% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 15% | 1% |
Students |
SAC | CSM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 97% | 91% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 0% | 0% | ||
Campus |
SAC | CSM | ||
| Campus Housing | No | No | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | No | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Santa Ana College is larger than than CSM based on total student enrollment (23,852 students vs. 7,512 students)
SAC vs. CSM Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, SAC or CSM?
- College of San Mateo is 16.7% more expensive to attend than SAC for in-state tuition ($1,288.00 vs. $1,104.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8% higher at CSM than Santa Ana College ($9,408.00 vs. $8,712.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Santa Ana College than CSM ($4,700 vs. $6,344)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Santa Ana College are 8.1% lower than costs at College of San Mateo ($19,302 vs. $20,858)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Santa Ana College than College of San Mateo (97% vs. 64%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Santa Ana College students is 4.1% larger than aid received College of San Mateo ($7,374 vs. $7,086)
Which college is harder to get into, SAC or CSM? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CSM or SAC .
SAC vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, SAC or CSM? 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 CSM and SAC.
- Graduates from College of San Mateo earn on average $7,300 more per year than SAC graduates after ten years. ($44,800 vs. $37,500)
- College of San Mateo students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than SAC graduates. ($7,000 vs. $7,500)
- CSM graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than SAC graduates. ($72 vs. $77)
- More CSM graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SAC students, three years after graduation. (58% vs. 47%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/