College of Southern Maryland campus
College of Southern Maryland logo

College of Southern Maryland

Type 2 year, Public
Campus locale Rural: Fringe
Degrees offered Undergraduate
Calendar system Semester
Student body size Medium
Student to faculty ratio 17 to 1
Students retention rate 66%
On-time graduation rate 31%

Located in La Plata, Maryland, CSM is a public, institution that offers undergraduate degrees. The college operates on a semester-based calendar system, providing students with structured academic terms.

One of the notable aspects of College of Southern Maryland is its open admission policy. This means that all high school graduates and individuals who hold a GED qualification are eligible to apply for admission. This inclusive approach allows a wide range of students to pursue their higher education goals, regardless of their academic background.

College of Southern Maryland is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, ensuring that the institution meets certain standards of quality and effectiveness. This accreditation also allows students to transfer credits to other accredited institutions if they choose to continue their education elsewhere.

While the on-time graduation rate at CSM is reported to be 31%, it is essential to consider the context of this statistic. For comparison, Maryland state's graduation rate for the 2021-2022 was 55% whereas the national average was 35%.

The student retention rate of 66% at CSM suggests that a significant percentage of students choose to continue their studies at the institution after their first-year.


  • Accredited by: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

In-State Tuition & Fees

$7,050

Cost of attendance at College of Southern Maryland in 2022 for students from Maryland.

See how the college's in-state sticker price compares to 2 year , public colleges in the state as well as nationally.

Maryland's average $9,814
National average $4,604

Out-of-State Tuition & Fees

$9,030

Cost of attendance at College of Southern Maryland in 2022 for the out-of-state and international students

See how the college's out-of-state sticker price compares to 2 year , public colleges in the state as well as nationally.

Maryland's average $22,808
National average $8,757

Average Grant & Scholarships

In 2022, 54 of freshman students at College of Southern Maryland received on average $4,644 in grant and scholarships from the college, the state and/or the federal government. Below is detail stats of the aid provided to full-time, freshman students.

$4,644
Students Receiving Aid Average Amount Total Amount
Pell Grant 210 25% $5,379 $1,129,650
Other Federal Grant 303 37% $4,663 $1,413,000
State Grant/Scholarships 204 25% $1,880 $383,539
Institutional Grant/Scholarships 183 22% $1,501 $274,743
Total Grant & Scholarships 446 54% $4,644 $2,071,282

Graduation Rate

The following chart shows the graduation rate of College of Southern Maryland students who enrolled in 2018 and after. The stat covers all undergraduates registered as full-time students to study a 4-year bachelor's degree program for the first time.

The breakdown shows the graduation rate by race/ethnicity of US students. All international students are represented under one group.

As of August 31, 2021, the average graduation rate of College of Southern Maryland students is 31.2%. Female students graduated at a rate of 36.2%, whereas male students graduated at a rate of 25.9%.

31.2%

  • asian 50.0% 24 students
  • African American 18.7% 50 students
  • white 36.9% 202 students
  • unknown 20.0% 2 students
  • hispanic 25.4% 17 students
  • International Students 40.0% 4 students
  • Mixed Race 29.5% 18 students

Athletic Associations

  • NJCAA
    National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

Service Offerings

College of Southern Maryland provides the following additional services to its students
  • Remedial services
  • Placement services for graduates
  • Academic/career counseling services
  • Employment services for students

Educational Offerings

College of Southern Maryland offers educational programs in the following categories. Check the programs section to learn more about specific programs that you are interested in.
  • Academic
  • Occupational
  • Postbaccalaureate Recreational or avocational education
  • Adult basic remedial or high school equivalent

Special Learning Opportunities

  • Study abroad
  • Teacher certification

Veteran Services

  • Member of Service-members Opportunity Colleges
  • Dedicated point of contact for support services for veterans, military service-members, and their families
  • Recognized student veteran organization
  • Credit for military training
  • Yellow Ribbon Program (officially known as Post-9/11 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program)

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