Sacramento State vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Sacramento in Sacramento, 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 Sacramento is larger than California State University-San Marcos based on total student enrollment (31,943 students vs. 16,237 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

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

Which college is more expensive, Sacramento State 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 Sacramento than California State University-San Marcos ($10,110 vs. $10,241).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 26.2% lower than at California State University Sacramento ($14,152 vs. $19,174).
• California State University San Marcos is 0.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sacramento State (about $64 more per year; $8,082.00 vs. $8,018.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.3% higher at California State University-San Marcos than at California State University Sacramento (about $64 more per year; $20,682.00 vs. $20,618.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Sacramento than at California State University San Marcos (82% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Sacramento students is 14.8% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($12,767 vs. $11,123).

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

Which college is harder to get into, Sacramento State 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 Sacramento State.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at California State University San Marcos (1040) is 10 points higher than at Sacramento State (1030).
• Incoming Sacramento State students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (20 vs. 19 at California State University-San Marcos).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Sacramento 930/1130; California State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University Sacramento 17/23; California State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Sacramento State - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Sacramento State Nov 30, 2026; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Sacramento State students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than Sacramento State (94%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.3% at Sacramento State vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

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

How do outcomes compare for Sacramento State 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 Sacramento's (42%).
• Graduates from California State University Sacramento earn a median of about $1,900 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates about ten years after starting college ($51,000 vs. $49,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Sacramento graduates have a $2,245 lower median loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($15,750 vs. $17,995).
• Among borrowers, Sacramento State graduates have an estimated $24 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($162 vs. $186).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sacramento State students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 64%)

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.