College of Southern Maryland is a public institution offering associate degrees based in La Plata, Maryland. It enrolls 4,512 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
63/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes39
Value65
Affordability41
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, College of Southern Maryland generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending College of Southern Maryland isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $9,204 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$9,204
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
26%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
46%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,200
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$10,050
Room & Board (off-campus)
$16,530
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,867
Total Cost of Attendance
$13,681
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$4,798
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,287
$48,001 – $75,000
$7,895
$75,001 – $110,000
$10,120
Over $110,000
$12,180
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$2,90025%percentile
$8,500Medianpercentile
$10,25075%percentile
$17,94990%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $5,500
↓ $3,000
No Pell $5,500
↓ $3,000
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $3,000
Independent students $7,000
↓ $1,500
Female students $5,500
↓ $3,000
Male students $5,500
↓ $3,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($8,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
17% of full-time students who enrolled at College of Southern Maryland graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
17%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered College of Southern Maryland earn a median of $44,435 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,435
Earning > $25K
67%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$38,400
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$47,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$35,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$43,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$48,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,600, about 18% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
31.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 88% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
College of Southern Maryland is home to 4,512 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 45% are first-generation college students, 63% study part-time.
Total Enrolled
4,512
Part-Time
63%
First-Generation
45%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 42.4%1,911
Black 31.3%1,411
Hispanic 10.2%462
Other 7.6%343
Asian 4.1%184
International 1.1%51
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at College of Southern Maryland. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: FringeLa Plata, Maryland
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
25%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
College of Southern Maryland offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
42 distinct programs across
15 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at College of Southern Maryland is 16:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,461
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$10M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$77,597
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
107 instructional faculty across 3 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
56
52%
$85,118
Associate Professors
28
26%
$71,563
Assistant Professors
23
21%
$66,630
Pros & Cons of College of Southern Maryland
A quick at-a-glance summary of how College of Southern Maryland tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, College of Southern Maryland is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.
Frequently Asked Questions about College of Southern Maryland
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about College of Southern Maryland.
Is College of Southern Maryland hard to get into?
College of Southern Maryland has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at College of Southern Maryland?
College of Southern Maryland has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does College of Southern Maryland cost?
The average net price after aid at College of Southern Maryland is $9,204 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is College of Southern Maryland worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $44,435 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $9,204 per year. That's roughly 4.8x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is College of Southern Maryland known for?
College of Southern Maryland is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do College of Southern Maryland graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering College of Southern Maryland are $44,435, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is College of Southern Maryland accredited?
Yes. College of Southern Maryland is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend College of Southern Maryland?
College of Southern Maryland enrolls 4,512 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at College of Southern Maryland?
College of Southern Maryland graduates 17% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is College of Southern Maryland a public or private college?
College of Southern Maryland is a Public institution.
Where is College of Southern Maryland located?
College of Southern Maryland is located in La Plata, Maryland.
What programs does College of Southern Maryland offer?
College of Southern Maryland offers 42 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Liberal Arts, Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at College of Southern Maryland?
The student-to-faculty ratio at College of Southern Maryland is 16:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Maryland
Other colleges in Maryland share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
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