Art Center College of Design vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA with California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University San Marcos is larger than Art Center College of Design based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 2,308 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or California State University-San Marcos? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than Art Center College of Design ($10,241 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 27.9% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($14,152 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 570.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $46,088 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 161.9% higher at Art Center College of Design than at California State University San Marcos (about $33,488 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University San Marcos than at Art Center College of Design (71% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 101.5% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($22,412 vs. $11,123).

Art Center College of Design vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Art Center College of Design or California State University-San Marcos? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between California State University-San Marcos and Art Center College of Design.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than Art Center College of Design (74.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31.5% at Art Center College of Design vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

Art Center College of Design vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and California State University-San Marcos? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Art Center College of Design's six-year graduation rate (54%) is higher than California State University San Marcos's (49%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $9,200 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $49,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $13,255 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($17,995 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $137 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($186 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Marcos students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 66%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.