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Cal State Fullerton San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus California State University-Northridge Sacramento State San Diego State Cal State LA California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Cal State Long Beach San Jose State CSUMB California State University-Fresno CSU| California State University San Marcos | Mt Sierra College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
California State University-San Marcos | Mt Sierra College | ||
| Location | San Marcos, CA | Monrovia, CA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,431 | 130 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #833 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | For-profit | ||
| Website | csusm.edu | mtsierra.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
California State University-San Marcos | Mt Sierra College | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $14,220 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $14,220 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,152 | $13,779 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $10,500 | - | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,247 | $0 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 72% | 0% |
Admission |
California State University-San Marcos | Mt Sierra College | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,519 | - | ||
| Admitted | 16,765 | - | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.7% | |||
| Enrolled % | 15.7% | |||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.32 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/22 | |||
| SAT Range | 950/1130 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | |||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
California State University-San Marcos | Mt Sierra College | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 21:1 | 9:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
California State University-San Marcos | Mt Sierra College | ||
| Graduation Rate | 49% | 27% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,100 | $45,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 66% | 35% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,995 | $42,531 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $186 | $439 |
Diversity |
California State University-San Marcos | Mt Sierra College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 72% | ||
| % Women | 6% | 28% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 30% | 17% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 42% | 46% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 9% | ||
| % International | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 11% |
Students |
California State University-San Marcos | Mt Sierra College | ||
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| % In-State | 97% | 75% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 0% | ||
Campus |
California State University-San Marcos | Mt Sierra College | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | No | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | No | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University San Marcos is larger than than Mt Sierra College based on total student enrollment (15,431 students vs. 130 students)
California State University-San Marcos vs. Mt Sierra College Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or Mt Sierra College?
- Mt Sierra College is 147.6% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($14,220.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 23.9% higher at California State University-San Marcos than Mt Sierra College ($17,622.00 vs. $14,220.00)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mt Sierra College are 2.7% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($13,779 vs. $14,152)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California State University San Marcos than Mt Sierra College (72% vs. 0%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is ?% larger than aid received Mt Sierra College ($10,247 vs. $0)
Which college is harder to get into, California State University-San Marcos or Mt Sierra College? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mt Sierra College or California State University-San Marcos .
California State University-San Marcos vs. Mt Sierra College Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, California State University-San Marcos or Mt Sierra College? 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 Mt Sierra College and California State University-San Marcos.
- The graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos is higher than Mt Sierra College (49% vs. 27%)
- Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $3,400 more per year than Mt Sierra College graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $45,700)
- California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $24,536 lower median federal student loan debt than Mt Sierra College graduates. ($17,995 vs. $42,531)
- California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $253 less per month on federal student loans than Mt Sierra College graduates. ($186 vs. $439)
- More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mt Sierra College students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 35%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/