College of San Mateo
San Mateo, CA 94402-3784
About College of San Mateo
College of San Mateo is a public community college in San Mateo, California, serving roughly 7,977 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Published tuition for full-time study starts near $1,332 before fees and financial aid. Student demographics in federal data include Hispanic or Latino (35.0%) and White (23.5%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 53.33%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $60,507.
Research findings
Finding
College of San Mateo awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 53 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of San Mateo | $1,332 | — | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,700 | — | 1,692 |
| California (state median) | $8,510 | $7,373 | 288 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,274 | $18,692 | 686 |
| United States (national median) | $12,200 | $17,573 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is College of San Mateo really?
Key findings
- College of San Mateo charges about 0.2× the national public median tuition ($1,332).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is about 0.2×.
College of San Mateo tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $1,332
Finding College of San Mateo charges about 0.2× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $1,332. That is about 0.2× the national public median ($5,700). Versus the California median ($8,510), sticker tuition is about 0.2×. Versus the U.S. median ($12,200), sticker is about 0.1×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at College of San Mateo versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
College of San Mateo: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for College of San Mateo—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$1,332
Out-of-state tuition
$11,680
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | −$1,310 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | −$902 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $3,342 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $6,342 |
| $110,001+ | $7,818 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $5,328. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What College of San Mateo is known for
Top program completions
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies213
- Social Sciences, General153
- Business Administration and Management, General145
- Psychology, General77
- Economics, General68
See earnings & programs for more.
Is College of San Mateo a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
College of San Mateo is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for College of San Mateo.
Campus
Location
San Mateo, CA
City / state
- ZIP
- 94402-3784
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, tuition is about 0.1× the median for Suburban campuses.
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Far West
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional
Size
Enrollment
7,977
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 16,486
- Full-time share
- 27%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$10,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 11.00%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for College of San Mateo.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at College of San Mateo was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for College of San Mateo in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $1,418 | $6,150 | $5,774 |
| 2014 | $1,418 | $6,206 | $2,177 |
| 2015 | $1,324 | $7,308 | $2,140 |
| 2016 | $1,400 | $6,300 | $1,688 |
| 2017 | $1,400 | $6,300 | $1,521 |
| 2018 | $1,344 | $6,300 | $1,302 |
| 2019 | $1,434 | $9,094 | $1,239 |
| 2020 | $1,434 | $9,094 | $1,062 |
| 2021 | $1,440 | $10,114 | $984 |
| 2022 | $1,376 | $9,496 | $2,369 |
| 2023 | $1,332 | $11,384 | $1,504 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
College of San Mateo reported total enrollment of about 7,977 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 48% male and 52% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (35.0%), White (23.5%), and Asian (23.0%). About 11.00% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 51.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
26.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at College of San Mateo in 2024 is 7,977 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 16,486 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
72.6%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
30.91% 100% Completion Time
53.33% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 30.91% of students graduating from College of San Mateo completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 42% male / 58% female
- Social Sciences, General: 45% male / 55% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 54% male / 46% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
College of San Mateo graduates earn a median of $60,507 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of College of San Mateo.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $60,507. Median federal loan debt: $10,500.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway College of San Mateo graduates report median earnings of $60,507 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for College of San Mateo.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (53 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at College of San Mateo.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for College of San Mateo graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for College of San Mateo—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 40.9%
- California median 1.6 pp above median (39.3%)
- Far West median 4.7 pp below median (45.7%)
- U.S. median 17.0 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $13,450
- California median 1.3× the median ($10,166)
- Far West median 1.4× the median ($9,635)
- U.S. median 1.8× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $6,125
- California median 0.95× the median ($6,474)
- Far West median 0.87× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 0.84× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
College of San Mateo at a glance
College of San Mateo
College of San Mateo is a public institution in San Mateo, CA, classified as Associate's Colleges: High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesSocial Sciences, GeneralBusiness Administration and Management, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino35.0%White or Caucasian23.5%Asian23.0%
Schools near College of San Mateo
Other campuses in San Mateo, CA when available, plus nearby institutions in California.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within California, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is College of San Mateo located?
College of San Mateo is located in San Mateo, CA.
What is College of San Mateo's tuition?
College of San Mateo tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $1,332 in the latest College Scorecard data.
How much does College of San Mateo cost?
Reported tuition is $1,332 and average net price is N/A in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $33,980 annually.
What is the student body demographics at College of San Mateo?
College of San Mateo reports undergraduate enrollment of about 16,486 students, Hispanic or Latino (35.0%), White (23.5%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend College of San Mateo?
About 51.0% of students at College of San Mateo are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of College of San Mateo earn?
Median earnings are $52,685 six years after entry and $60,507 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at College of San Mateo?
The 150%-time completion rate is 53.3% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do College of San Mateo students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $10,500.
Is College of San Mateo public or private?
College of San Mateo is a public institution located in San Mateo, CA.
Is College of San Mateo an HBCU?
No. College of San Mateo is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is College of San Mateo a tribal college?
No. College of San Mateo is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is College of San Mateo religiously affiliated?
No religious affiliation is reported for College of San Mateo in IPEDS institutional characteristics.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.