California State University-Fresno vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Fresno in Fresno, 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 Fresno is larger than California State University-San Marcos based on total student enrollment (24,427 students vs. 16,237 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Fresno is located in Fresno, CA (Large City setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Fresno is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Fresno 22:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

California State University-Fresno vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-Fresno 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 Fresno than California State University-San Marcos ($7,834 vs. $10,241).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fresno are 15.5% lower than at California State University San Marcos ($11,960 vs. $14,152).
• California State University San Marcos is 10% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Fresno (about $732 more per year; $8,082.00 vs. $7,350.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 3.7% higher at California State University-San Marcos than at California State University Fresno (about $732 more per year; $20,682.00 vs. $19,950.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Fresno than at California State University San Marcos (85% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Fresno students is 10.8% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($12,326 vs. $11,123).

California State University-Fresno vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-Fresno 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 California State University-Fresno.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at California State University San Marcos (1040) is 40 points higher than at California State University-Fresno (1000).
• Incoming California State University-San Marcos students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (19 vs. 18 at California State University-Fresno).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fresno 890/1100; California State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Fresno 16/21; California State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-Fresno - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Fresno Dec 15, 2026; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at California State University-Fresno (3.12).
• California State University-Fresno has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) than California State University-San Marcos (95.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 17.5% at California State University-Fresno vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

California State University-Fresno vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-Fresno 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).

• The graduation rate at California State University-Fresno is the same as at California State University San Marcos (49% vs. 49%).
• Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn a median of about $2,600 more per year than California State University-Fresno graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,100 vs. $46,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Fresno graduates have a $2,995 lower median loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($15,000 vs. $17,995).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Fresno graduates have an estimated $31 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($155 vs. $186).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Fresno students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 63%)

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.