College of Southern Maryland
A good fit for families who need the lowest possible cost and students who prefer a mid-size campus. graduation rate is below 40%. a public school with 4,512 students.
About This School
College of Southern Maryland is a public institution located in La Plata, Maryland with approximately 4,512 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $9,204 per year. The graduation rate is 33%, and the typical graduate earns $40,600 within 10 years of enrollment.
The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) is a public community college with campuses in Hughesville, La Plata, Leonardtown, and Prince Frederick, Maryland. It serves students living in Southern Maryland's Charles, St. Mary's, and Calvert counties.
Worth considering if you're looking to keep costs low and build a practical foundation — at just $9,867/year average net price and a median graduation debt of only $5,500, this is one of the more financially sensible paths you can take. The trade-off is that median earnings sit at $40,600 a decade out, which is modest but reasonable for a community college that likely serves as a stepping stone to a four-year transfer or local workforce entry. If your goal is to save money on general education credits before transferring, or to earn a credential without taking on serious debt, this school delivers on that promise.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 8% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
College of Southern Maryland graduates earn most above the national rate in Computer and Information Sciences, General ($80,349 vs $54,246 nationally), and most below it in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($77,355 vs $80,813).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 369 | $44,271 | $44,125 | +$146 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 100 | $77,355 | $80,813 | −$3,458 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 72 | $62,074 | $49,927 | +$12,147 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 47 | $80,349 | $54,246 | +$26,103 |
| Engineering, General | 18 | $81,793 | $72,916 | +$8,877 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing an associate's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Strong return. Graduates earn well above their debt load.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (4,512 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Schools Like This in Maryland
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See How Colleges Compare
College of Southern Maryland is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does College of Southern Maryland cost?
The average net price at College of Southern Maryland is about $9,204 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at College of Southern Maryland?
College of Southern Maryland has a graduation rate of 33%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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