Cal State LA vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Los Angeles in Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles is larger than California State University-San Marcos based on total student enrollment (23,163 students vs. 16,237 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Los Angeles 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 Los Angeles 21:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

Cal State LA vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State LA 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 Los Angeles than California State University-San Marcos ($4,460 vs. $10,241).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 28.1% lower than at California State University Los Angeles ($14,152 vs. $19,696).
• California State University San Marcos is 12.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State LA (about $922 more per year; $8,082.00 vs. $7,160.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.7% higher at California State University-San Marcos than at California State University Los Angeles (about $922 more per year; $20,682.00 vs. $19,760.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Los Angeles than at California State University San Marcos (94% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Los Angeles students is 24.3% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($13,824 vs. $11,123).

Cal State LA vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State LA 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 Cal State LA.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at California State University San Marcos (1040) is 70 points higher than at Cal State LA (970).
• Incoming California State University-San Marcos students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (19 vs. 17 at Cal State LA).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Los Angeles 870/1060; California State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Los Angeles 15/20; California State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State LA - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State LA Jan 19, 2027; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at Cal State LA (3.31).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than Cal State LA (91.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.4% at Cal State LA vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

Cal State LA vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State LA 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).

• California State University San Marcos's six-year graduation rate (49%) is higher than California State University Los Angeles's (36%).
• Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn a median of about $2,200 more per year than Cal State LA graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,100 vs. $46,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Los Angeles graduates have a $5,075 lower median loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($12,920 vs. $17,995).
• Among borrowers, Cal State LA graduates have an estimated $53 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($133 vs. $186).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 57%)

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.