College of Southern Maryland
La Plata, Maryland · Also known as CSM · Website
$44,435
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$44,435
median earnings, 10 years after starting
College of Southern Maryland is a public 2-year college in La Plata, Maryland with 4,512 undergraduates. Its average net price after grants is $9,204 a year (tuition and fees $4,200 in-state, $10,050 out-of-state). 33% of students finish within 3 years. Former students earn a median $44,435 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $8,500 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$9,204
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$4,200
Out-of-state $10,050
Admission rate
Open
Completion rate
33%
Within 3 years, US 58%
Median debt
$8,500
About $90 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$44,435
Rank 2,077 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $9,204
- Tuition in-state
- $4,200
- Tuition out-of-state
- $10,050
- Cost of attendance
- $13,681
- Students with a need-based grant
- 26%
- Students with federal loans
- 46%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $4,798
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $5,287
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $7,895
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $10,120
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $12,180
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $3,542 in 2015-16 to $4,200 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- Open admission
- Undergraduates
- 4,512
- Part-time students
- 63%
- Women
- 61%
- Students per teacher
- 16
- Completion rate
- 33%
- Retention rate
- 66%
- Highest degree
- Associate's degree
- Programs
- 59
- Endowment
- $11.5M
- Other
- Open admission
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 2,077 of 5,094 US colleges and 35 of 66 in Maryland (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | MD median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $9,204 | $17,413 | $7,702 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $4,200 | $10,410 | $4,656 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | - | 76% | 79% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 33% | 47% | 38% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 66% | 69% | 64% | 75% |
| Median debt | $8,500 | $13,000 | $10,417 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $37,269 | $36,662 | $33,563 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $44,435 | $44,910 | $38,555 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 2-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 42% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 61% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
59 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesOnlineCertificate | Certificate | 423 | $8,262 | Withheld | $50,845 | $44,906 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's | Associate's | 369 | $11,000 | $29,862 | $44,271 | $44,125 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's | Associate's | 100 | $9,900 | $73,576 | $77,355 | $80,813 |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 72 | Withheld | Withheld | $62,074 | $49,927 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesOnlineCertificate | Certificate | 72 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $44,589 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementCertificate | Certificate | 55 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $52,615 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementAssociate's | Associate's | 54 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $54,726 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 47 | Withheld | Withheld | $80,349 | $54,246 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 38 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $48,733 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsOnlineCertificate | Certificate | 35 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $47,440 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesAssociate's | Associate's | 30 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $47,660 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralCertificate | Certificate | 27 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $50,984 |
| Design and Applied ArtsCertificate | Certificate | 22 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Engineering, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 18 | Withheld | Withheld | $81,793 | $72,916 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 18 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $45,709 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsCertificate | Certificate | 17 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $43,365 |
| Health and Medical Administrative ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 16 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $35,447 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsCertificate | Certificate | 14 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsCertificate | Certificate | 13 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $56,073 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory ProgramsAssociate's | Associate's | 12 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $51,711 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringAssociate's | Associate's | 11 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $65,477 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's | Associate's | 11 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $40,734 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationAssociate's | Associate's | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $36,074 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $31,135 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsAssociate's | Associate's | 9 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $37,656 |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: the county of La Plata and Maryland on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in Maryland
- Homes: Homes for sale in Maryland
Questions and answers
How much does College of Southern Maryland cost?
$9,204 a year is the average net price at College of Southern Maryland after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $4,200 for in-state students and $10,050 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $13,681. Families earning under $30,000 pay $4,798 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at College of Southern Maryland?
College of Southern Maryland has open admission: it accepts students who meet its basic requirements, such as a high school diploma.
How much do College of Southern Maryland graduates earn?
$44,435 a year is the median pay of former College of Southern Maryland students who work, 10 years after they started ($37,269 after 6 years). That ranks 2,077 of 5,094 US colleges and 35 of 66 in Maryland. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's) at $73,576.
How much student debt do College of Southern Maryland graduates have?
$8,500 is the median federal student loan debt of College of Southern Maryland graduates, about $90 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 46% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at College of Southern Maryland?
33% of first-time, full-time students at College of Southern Maryland finish within 3 years. 66% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 2-year colleges is 38%.
What are the most popular majors at College of Southern Maryland?
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (423 certificate graduates), Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (369 associate's graduates), Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (100 associate's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 59 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.