California State University-San Marcos vs. CSU Channel Islands

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA with California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University San Marcos is larger than CSU Channel Islands based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 5,592 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting); California State University Channel Islands is in Camarillo, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Channel Islands is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University San Marcos 24:1; California State University Channel Islands 16:1.

California State University-San Marcos vs. CSU Channel Islands Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or CSU Channel Islands? 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 CSU Channel Islands ($10,241 vs. $10,632).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 8.6% lower than at California State University Channel Islands ($14,152 vs. $15,490).
• California State University San Marcos is 12.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSU Channel Islands (about $923 more per year; $8,082.00 vs. $7,159.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 4.7% higher at California State University-San Marcos than at California State University Channel Islands (about $923 more per year; $20,682.00 vs. $19,759.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Channel Islands than at California State University San Marcos (79% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Channel Islands students is 12.6% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($12,528 vs. $11,123).

California State University-San Marcos vs. CSU Channel Islands Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-San Marcos or CSU Channel Islands? 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 CSU Channel Islands and California State University-San Marcos.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-San Marcos - Test-free; CSU Channel Islands - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026; CSU Channel Islands Jul 30, 2027.
• Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at CSU Channel Islands (3.22).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than CSU Channel Islands (94.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at California State University-San Marcos vs. 6.2% at CSU Channel Islands.

California State University-San Marcos vs. CSU Channel Islands Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-San Marcos and CSU Channel Islands? 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 Channel Islands's six-year graduation rate (54%) is higher than California State University San Marcos's (49%).
• Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn a median of about $3,000 more per year than CSU Channel Islands graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,100 vs. $46,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Channel Islands graduates have a $2,812 lower median loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($15,183 vs. $17,995).
• Among borrowers, CSU Channel Islands graduates have an estimated $30 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($156 vs. $186).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Channel Islands students, three years after graduation. (66% 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.