Bethesda University of California vs. California State University-San Marcos

Should I go to Bethesda University of California or California State University San Marcos? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Bethesda University of California or California State University-San Marcos is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Bethesda University of California vs. California State University San Marcos comparison
Bethesda University of California California State University San Marcos College 3 College 4
California State University San Marcos
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Overview

Bethesda University of California California State University-San Marcos
Location Anaheim, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 264 15,109
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #836
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website buc.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Bethesda University of California California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $6,360 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $6,360 $17,622
Room & Board $10,539 $13,972
Avg Net Price $21,746 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $2,786 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 67%

Admission

Bethesda University of California California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 14,774
Admitted - 14,064
Acceptance Rate 95.2%
Enrolled % 18.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.32
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22
SAT Range 950/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 11, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Bethesda University of California California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (62%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (24%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Bethesda University of California California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 34% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $17,995
Median Loan Payment N/A $186

Diversity

Bethesda University of California California State University-San Marcos
% Men 71% 39%
% Women 29% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 8% 30%
% Black 19% 3%
% Hispanic 18% 42%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 6%
% International 38% 2%
% Unknown Race 6% 5%

Students

Bethesda University of California California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 36% 98%
% Out-of-State 8% 1%

Campus

Bethesda University of California California State University-San Marcos
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University San Marcos is larger than than Bethesda University of California based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 264 students)

Bethesda University of California vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Bethesda University of California or California State University-San Marcos?

  • Bethesda University of California is 10.8% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($6,360.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 177.1% higher at California State University-San Marcos than Bethesda University of California ($17,622.00 vs. $6,360.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than Bethesda University of California ($10,463 vs. $21,746)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Bethesda University of California are 32.6% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($10,539 vs. $13,972)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethesda University of California than California State University San Marcos (81% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 220.2% larger than aid received Bethesda University of California ($8,922 vs. $2,786)

Which college is harder to get into, Bethesda University of California or California State University-San Marcos? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between California State University-San Marcos or Bethesda University of California .

Bethesda University of California vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Bethesda University of California or California State University-San Marcos? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between California State University-San Marcos and Bethesda University of California.

  • The graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos is higher than Bethesda University of California (49% vs. 34%)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethesda University of California students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 53%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/