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

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA with John Paul the Great Catholic University in Escondido, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University San Marcos is larger than John Paul the Great Catholic University based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 286 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting); John Paul the Great Catholic University is in Escondido, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. John Paul the Great Catholic University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University San Marcos 24:1; John Paul the Great Catholic University 15:1.

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? 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 John Paul the Great Catholic University ($10,241 vs. $35,175).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at John Paul the Great Catholic University are 30.3% lower than at California State University San Marcos ($9,868 vs. $14,152).
• John Paul the Great Catholic University is 274.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $22,183 more per year; $30,265.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 46.3% higher at John Paul the Great Catholic University than at California State University San Marcos (about $9,583 more per year; $30,265.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at John Paul the Great Catholic University than at California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by John Paul the Great Catholic University students is 52.7% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($16,982 vs. $11,123).

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

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-San Marcos or John Paul the Great Catholic University? 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 John Paul the Great Catholic University and California State University-San Marcos.

• John Paul the Great Catholic University reports an open admissions policy.
• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at John Paul the Great Catholic University (1120) is 80 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (1040).
• Incoming John Paul the Great Catholic University students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (24 vs. 19 at California State University-San Marcos).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Marcos 950/1130; John Paul the Great Catholic University 975/1270.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Marcos 17/22; John Paul the Great Catholic University 21/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-San Marcos - Test-free; John Paul the Great Catholic University - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• 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 (95.1%) than John Paul the Great Catholic University (79.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at California State University-San Marcos vs. 43% at John Paul the Great Catholic University.

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

How do outcomes compare for California State University-San Marcos and John Paul the Great Catholic University? 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).

• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $7,755 lower median loan debt than John Paul the Great Catholic University graduates ($17,995 vs. $25,750).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $80 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.