California State University-San Marcos vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University

Should I go to California State University San Marcos or John Paul the Great Catholic University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if California State University-San Marcos or John Paul the Great Catholic University 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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California State University San Marcos vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University comparison
California State University San Marcos John Paul the Great Catholic University College 3 College 4
California State University San Marcos John Paul the Great Catholic University
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Overview

California State University-San Marcos John Paul the Great Catholic University
Location San Marcos, CA San Diego, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 15,431 298
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #833
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csusm.edu jpcatholic.com
Team Colors                    

Costs

California State University-San Marcos John Paul the Great Catholic University
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $28,500
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $28,500
Room & Board $14,152 $15,099
Avg Net Price $10,500 $31,811
Avg Grant Aid $10,247 $15,709
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 98%

Admission

California State University-San Marcos John Paul the Great Catholic University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,519 280
Admitted 16,765 222
Acceptance Rate 95.7% 79.3%Open
Enrolled % 15.7% 33.8%Open
Avg High School GPA 3.32 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22 21/27
SAT Range 950/1130 1090/1260
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2025

Academics

California State University-San Marcos John Paul the Great Catholic University
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (44%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (26%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (3%)

Outcomes

California State University-San Marcos John Paul the Great Catholic University
Graduation Rate 49% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,100 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 66% -
Median Student Loan Debt $17,995 $25,750
Median Loan Payment $186 $266

Diversity

California State University-San Marcos John Paul the Great Catholic University
% Men 2% 0%
% Women 6% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 30% 54%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 42% 23%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 6% 3%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 5% 12%

Students

California State University-San Marcos John Paul the Great Catholic University
% In-State 97% 49%
% Out-of-State 2% 43%

Campus

California State University-San Marcos John Paul the Great Catholic University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University San Marcos is larger than than John Paul the Great Catholic University based on total student enrollment (15,431 students vs. 298 students)

California State University-San Marcos vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or John Paul the Great Catholic University?

  • John Paul the Great Catholic University is 396.3% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($28,500.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.7% higher at John Paul the Great Catholic University than California State University San Marcos ($28,500.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than John Paul the Great Catholic University ($10,500 vs. $31,811)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 6.7% lower than costs at John Paul the Great Catholic University ($14,152 vs. $15,099)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at John Paul the Great Catholic University than California State University San Marcos (98% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by John Paul the Great Catholic University students is 53.3% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($15,709 vs. $10,247)

California State University-San Marcos vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at John Paul the Great Catholic University (1106) is 151 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (955)
  • Incoming John Paul the Great Catholic University students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at California State University-San Marcos (21)
  • Accepted freshman John Paul the Great Catholic University students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)
  • California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than John Paul the Great Catholic University (79.3%)

California State University-San Marcos vs. John Paul the Great Catholic University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, California State University-San Marcos or John Paul the Great Catholic University? 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 John Paul the Great Catholic University and California State University-San Marcos.

  • California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $7,755 lower median federal student loan debt than John Paul the Great Catholic University graduates. ($17,995 vs. $25,750)
  • California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than John Paul the Great Catholic University graduates. ($186 vs. $266)

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