LTCC vs. CSM

Deciding between Lake Tahoe Community College and College of San Mateo? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,500 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

College of San Mateo

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • LTCC South Lake Tahoe, CA
  • CSM San Mateo, CA
  • Setting
  • LTCC Distant Town
  • CSM Small City
  • Enrollment
  • LTCC 4,040
  • CSM 9,901
  • Type
  • LTCC Public 2 Year
  • CSM Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • LTCC
  • CSM
  • Religious Affiliation
  • LTCC -
  • CSM -
  • Status
  • LTCC Non-profit
  • CSM Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • LTCC
  • CSM

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • LTCC $15
  • CSM $44
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • LTCC $15
  • CSM $44
  • Room & Board
  • LTCC $13,425
  • CSM $31,288
  • Average Net Price
  • LTCC $11,799
  • CSM $5,831
  • Average Grant Aid
  • LTCC $5,863
  • CSM $4,386
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • LTCC 64%
  • CSM 80%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • LTCC -
  • CSM -
  • Admitted
  • LTCC -
  • CSM -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • LTCC Open
  • CSM Open
  • Enrolled
  • LTCC Open
  • CSM Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • LTCC
  • CSM
  • Typical ACT score
  • LTCC
  • CSM
  • Average High School GPA
  • LTCC -
  • CSM -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • LTCC -
  • CSM -
  • Admissions Standards
  • LTCC Unavailable
  • CSM Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • LTCC
  • CSM
  • ACT Range
  • LTCC
  • CSM
  • SAT Range
  • LTCC
  • CSM
  • Submit Test Scores
  • LTCC
  • CSM
  • Application Deadline
  • LTCC
  • CSM

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • LTCC 25:1
  • CSM 24:1
  • Popular Majors
  • LTCC
    • General Studies (22%)
    • Social Sciences (19%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
    • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • CSM
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (19%)
    • Health Professions (17%)
    • Business (12%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • LTCC -
  • CSM -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • LTCC $31,100
  • CSM $44,800
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • LTCC -
  • CSM 58%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • LTCC N/A
  • CSM $7,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • LTCC N/A
  • CSM $72

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • LTCC 5%
  • CSM 9%
  • % Women
  • LTCC 5%
  • CSM 10%
  • Racial Diversity
  • LTCC High
  • CSM Very High
  • HBCU
  • LTCC No
  • CSM No
  • % White
  • LTCC 58%
  • CSM 28%
  • % Asian
  • LTCC 4%
  • CSM 24%
  • % Black
  • LTCC 3%
  • CSM 3%
  • % Hispanic
  • LTCC 27%
  • CSM 30%
  • % Native American
  • LTCC 0%
  • CSM 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • LTCC 0%
  • CSM 2%
  • % Two or More Races
  • LTCC 4%
  • CSM 6%
  • % International
  • LTCC 2%
  • CSM 6%
  • % Unknown Race
  • LTCC 2%
  • CSM 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • LTCC 94%
  • CSM 91%
  • % Out-of-State
  • LTCC 4%
  • CSM 0%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • LTCC No
  • CSM No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • LTCC No
  • CSM No
  • Meal Plan
  • LTCC No
  • CSM No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • LTCC Yes
  • CSM Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • LTCC Yes
  • CSM Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Lake Tahoe Community College in South Lake Tahoe, CA with College of San Mateo in San Mateo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

College of San Mateo is larger than LTCC based on total student enrollment (9,901 students vs. 4,040 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Lake Tahoe Community College is located in South Lake Tahoe, CA (Distant Town setting); College of San Mateo is in San Mateo, CA (Small City setting).
  • Lake Tahoe Community 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: Lake Tahoe Community College 25:1; College of San Mateo 24:1.

LTCC vs. CSM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, LTCC 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 LTCC ($5,831 vs. $11,799).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lake Tahoe Community College are 57.1% lower than at College of San Mateo ($13,425 vs. $31,288).
  • College of San Mateo is 193.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than LTCC (about $29 more per year; $44.00 vs. $15.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 193.3% higher at CSM than at Lake Tahoe Community College (about $29 more per year; $44.00 vs. $15.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at College of San Mateo than at Lake Tahoe Community College (80% vs. 64%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lake Tahoe Community College students is 33.7% larger than aid received by College of San Mateo students ($5,863 vs. $4,386).

LTCC vs. CSM Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, LTCC 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 LTCC.

  • Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.

LTCC vs. CSM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for LTCC 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 $13,700 more per year than LTCC graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $31,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.

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.