SAC vs. CSM

Should I go to Santa Ana College or College of San Mateo? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SAC or CSM is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Santa Ana College vs. College of San Mateo comparison
Santa Ana College College of San Mateo College 3 College 4
College of San Mateo
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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
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (56%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Work and Family Studies (2%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (19%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)

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/