C+
Above Average
Score: 55/100
Overall (traditional)
B+
Outcome Rating
80/100 · earnings-weighted

College of San Mateo

2-Year Public
📍 San Mateo, California 94402
College of San Mateo campus, San Mateo, CA
College of San Mateo campus, San Mateo, CA. Photo: Csmwebmaster, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Outcomes
C+
64/100
Affordability
B+
75/100
Resources
C
50/100
Experience
C
47/100
Prestige
D
36/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

9,208
Total Enrollment
57%
Graduation Rate
77%
Retention Rate
25.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
N/A
Acceptance Rate
$6,887
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near College of San Mateo ▼

4% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

Avg Home Value
$2,468,871
Avg Monthly Rent
$4,022
1-Year Change
+7.0%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at College of San Mateo, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$54,172
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$43,803
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$14,695
Median debt at graduation
60.8%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
10.9%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 27% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 90th percentile among associate-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (CA wage index 1.21). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at College of San Mateo

Median pay of associate's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing—$144,794+79%#6 of 962#6$14,715
Business Administration, Management and Operations—$72,390+49%#11 of 547#21—
Communication and Media Studies—$65,120+51%#2 of 53#4—
Criminal Justice and Corrections—$55,857+20%#64 of 426#134—
Social Sciences—$52,619+22%#4 of 38#4—
Psychology—$49,708+27%#9 of 106#14—

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The College of San Mateo Town Property Report

  • Avg home value near campus: $2,468,871
  • Avg rent near campus: $4,022/mo
  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 94063 (2.6% cap, Redwood City)

Get the free 1-page report: rent-vs-dorm math, the 3 best nearby ZIPs by yield, and the “kiddie condo” strategy parents use.

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Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $1,288 $11,340

Financial Aid

90%
Receive Any Aid
27%
Receive Pell Grants
0%
Take Out Loans
$6,887
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$127
$30,001 - $48,000$646
$48,001 - $75,000$3,951
$75,001 - $110,000$6,489
$110,001+$7,818

Programs & Career Paths

Top Degree Programs

Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.

Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 213 grads/yr Social Sciences, General 153 grads/yr Business Administration and Management, General 145 grads/yr Psychology, General 77 grads/yr Economics, General 68 grads/yr Mathematics, General 52 grads/yr Speech Communication and Rhetoric 49 grads/yr Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 48 grads/yr Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 42 grads/yr Computer Science 36 grads/yr Cosmetology/Cosmetologist, General 34 grads/yr Biology/Biological Sciences, General 27 grads/yr Physics, General 26 grads/yr Accounting Technology/Technician and Bookkeeping 24 grads/yr Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 21 grads/yr Radio and Television 21 grads/yr Sociology, General 21 grads/yr Fire Prevention and Safety Technology/Technician 20 grads/yr Dental Assisting/Assistant 20 grads/yr Prepress/Desktop Publishing and Digital Imaging Design 16 grads/yr

Related Career Paths

Careers that graduates from College of San Mateo's top programs commonly pursue.

Postsecondary teachers, all other
$78k/yr 183,400 jobs
Managers, all other
$137k/yr 1,333,700 jobs
Social scientists and related workers, all other
$100k/yr 40,800 jobs
Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other
$75k/yr 20,700 jobs
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
$65k/yr 1,094,500 jobs
Social science research assistants
$58k/yr 40,600 jobs
Chief executives
$206k/yr 309,400 jobs
Compensation and benefits managers
$140k/yr 20,900 jobs

Student Demographics

9,208
Total Students
51%
Women
55%
Traditional Age (18-24)
4%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 25%
Hispanic 35%
Black 3%
Asian 24%
Two or More 7%
Non-Resident 4%

🏠 Living Arrangements

Off-Campus (Renters) 4%
With Family 96%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~368 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 60%
Hybrid (Some Online) 13%
Fully Online 27%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 55%
25-64 (Adult) 30%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at College of San Mateo?
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution. Many schools with open enrollment or specialized programs do not report traditional acceptance rates.
How much does it cost to attend College of San Mateo?
Tuition at College of San Mateo is $1,288 for in-state students and $11,340 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $6,887.
What is the graduation rate at College of San Mateo?
The graduation rate at College of San Mateo is 57%. This graduation rate is below average. Consider factors like program type and student demographics when evaluating.
Is College of San Mateo a good school?
College of San Mateo has a Repit College Score of 55/100 (Grade: C+). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (C+): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (B+): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (C): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (C): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (D): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend College of San Mateo?
College of San Mateo has a total enrollment of 9,208 students.
Is there rental demand near College of San Mateo?
Yes! Approximately 4% of students at College of San Mateo live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 368 students who need rental housing near campus.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for College of San Mateo — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to College of San Mateo

Compare with other 2-Year public institutions of similar size.

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San Diego Miramar College
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College of the Canyons
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Chabot College
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Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology