College of Southern Maryland

  • The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) is an open-admissions, regional community college preparing students and community to meet the challenges of individual, social and global changes. CSM makes accessible a broad range of affordable, high-quality learning opportunities that allow students to define and achieve their goals, enhance their knowledge, and make smooth transitions at various stages of their development.

School Highlights

College of Southern Maryland serves 6,164 students (32% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 11:1 is higher than the state community college average of 10:1.
Minority enrollment is 37% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the state average of 56%.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 6,164 students
  • In-state tuition: $5,845
  • Out-state tuition: $7,557
  • Student:teacher ratio: 11:1
  • Minority enrollment: 37%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

School Overview

The teacher population of 570 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
College of Southern Maryland
(MD) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associates Colleges
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Public
Public
Total Faculty
570 staff
378 staff
This chart display total faculty of College of Southern Maryland and community college average number of faculty in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of College of Southern Maryland has stayed relatively flat over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 11:1 has stayed the same over five years.
The College of Southern Maryland diversity score of 0.56 is less than the state average of 0.72. The school's diversity has declined by 11% over five years.
Total Enrollment
6,164 students
3,420 students
This chart display the total enrollment of College of Southern Maryland and community college average number of enrollment of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
11:1
10:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of College of Southern Maryland and community college average student staff ratio of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
2,001 students
1,180 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time students enrollment of College of Southern Maryland and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
4,163 students
2,240 students
This chart display the total number of Part-time students enrollment of College of Southern Maryland and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
This chart display the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of College of Southern Maryland.
This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of MD.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
406 students
249 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
2,001 students
1,009 students
This chart display the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of College of Southern Maryland and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
19 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
4,163 students
3,001 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
232 students
% Asian
4%
7%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in College of Southern Maryland and the percentage of Asian community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Hispanic
7%
11%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in College of Southern Maryland and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
17%
26%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in College of Southern Maryland and the percentage of Black community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% White
63%
44%
This chart display the percentage of White students in College of Southern Maryland and the percentage of White community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Two or more races
6%
3%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in College of Southern Maryland and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Non Resident races
1%
6%
This chart display the percentage of Non Resident students in College of Southern Maryland and the percentage of Non Resident community college students in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Unknown races
2%
3%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in College of Southern Maryland.
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in MD.
Diversity Score
0.56
0.72
This chart display the diversity score of College of Southern Maryland and the community college average diversity score of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
29%
27%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of College of Southern Maryland and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$41,000
$36,700
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of College of Southern Maryland and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of MD by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $5,845 is less than the state average of $7,307. The in-state tuition has declined by 8% over four years.
The public out-state tuition of $7,557 is less than the state average of $9,316. The out-state tuition has declined by 8% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees
$5,845
$7,307
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of College of Southern Maryland and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees
$7,557
$9,316
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of College of Southern Maryland and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
72%
73%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in College of Southern Maryland and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$9,000
$10,000
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in College of Southern Maryland and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$5,500
$5,500
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in College of Southern Maryland and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in MD by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
100%
Source: 2021 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

School Notes

  • The College of Southern Maryland is rich in history with a promising and exciting future ahead. The college's history dates to 1958 when the Charles County Community College was established as part of the continuing expansion of the community college within America. At its inception in 1958, the college was governed by the Charles County Board of Education, with the first classes being held at La Plata High School in the evenings. The Friendly Hall Campus, which is now the La Plata campus, was established in 1968. The college expanded its services to St. Mary's County in 1978 and Calvert County in 1980. The College of Southern Maryland is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and others. The college offers Associate (Transfer and Terminal) Degrees and Certificate in more than 120 programs. CSM contributes to the well being of the region by providing an array of associate degree and certificate programs; enhanced access to bachelor degree programs; workforce development and job training; corporate consulting; leadership and community development; wellness, fitness and personal enrichment opportunities, and cultural experiences. CSM operates four campuses in the tri-county area. The La Plata Campus, nestled on 173 wooded acres off of Mitchell Road and the Waldorf Center for Higher Education on Old Washington Road, are both located in Charles county. The Prince Frederick Campus is located in Calvert County, and the Leonardtown Campus is situated in St. Mary's County. The La Plata Campus hosts a variety of amenities, including large indoor pool, fine arts center with a 400-seat theater, high-tech computer laboratories, outdoor and indoor sports facilities, bookstore fitness center, cafeteria, distance learning center and state-of-the-art conference center.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does College of Southern Maryland cost?
College of Southern Maryland's tuition is approximately $5,845 for In-State students and $7,557 for Out-State students.

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 6,164 students
  • In-state tuition: $5,845
  • Out-state tuition: $7,557
  • Student:teacher ratio: 11:1
  • Minority enrollment: 37%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For Maryland public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $7,307 per year for in-state students and $9,316 for out-of-state students. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

Maryland community colleges have a diversity score of 0.72, which is higher than the national average of 0.70. The most diverse community college in Maryland is Montgomery College. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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