College of Southern Maryland
Tel:
(301)934-2251
- 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 8,411 students (37% of students are full-time).
- The college's student:teacher ratio of 29:1 is higher than the state community college average of 25:1.
- Minority enrollment is 32% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the state average of 48%.
- College of Southern Maryland is the only community colleges within Charles County, MD.
- The nearest community college to College of Southern Maryland is Northern Virginia Community College (22.7 miles away).
School Overview
- The teacher population of 295 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
| College of Southern Maryland | (MD) Community College Avg. | |
| Carnegie Classification | Baccalaureate / Associates Colleges | Baccalaureate / Associates Colleges |
| Institution Level | Less than 2 yrs | At least 2 but less than 4 years |
| Institution Control | Public | Public |
| Total Faculty | 295 staff | 164 staff |
| Total Enrollment | 8,411 students | 4,515 students |
 | ||
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 29:1 | 25:1 |
| # Full-Time Students | 3,087 students | 1,174 students |
| # Part-Time Students | 5,324 students | 3,341 students |
 |  | |
| % Asian | 2% | 6% |
| % Hispanic | 5% | 7% |
| % Black | 18% | 27% |
| % White | 68% | 52% |
| % Two or more races | 5% | 2% |
| % Unknown races | 1% | 2% |
 |  | |
| Diversity Score | 0.50 | 0.65 |
 | ||
| College Completion Rate | 13% | 21% |
| Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years) | $41,000 | $37,700 |
Source: 2016 (or latest year available) 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.
Nearby Schools
- The nearest community college to College of Southern Maryland is Northern Virginia Community College (22.7 miles away).
- College Location Mi. Students
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(301)336-6000 24.9013,678 - Columbia College (Fairfax)Private, for profit428 students | 25.10 Mi8300 Merrifield Ave 3F
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(703)206-0508 25.10428 - Stratford UniversityPrivate, for profit2,849 students | 26.40 Mi7777 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22043
(703)821-8570 26.402,849
Recent Articles
We continue to report on the ongoing saga in the California community college system. Schools are now opening for fall semester with fewer courses due to serious budget cuts, and students are feeling the academic pain.
The role of community colleges in the world of higher education has expanded over the years and, as the country works to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, they may be more important now than ever. Read on to learn more about the changing role of community colleges.
Colleges across the country are struggling to recover from the massive upheaval to the 2019-20 semester wrought by COVID-19. Housing refunds and slashed budgets are bound to have long-term impacts for the institutions that survive. Some experts suggest community colleges may be the best equipped to ride out the storm and may have the greatest impact in helping America recover.
