California State University-San Marcos vs. NSC

Comparable Facts

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

California State University San Marcos is larger than NSC based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 7,549 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Nevada State University is in Henderson, NV (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Nevada State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University San Marcos 24:1; Nevada State University 18:1.

California State University-San Marcos vs. NSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or NSC? 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 NSC ($10,241 vs. $15,699).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Nevada State University are 16.5% lower than at California State University San Marcos ($11,819 vs. $14,152).
• California State University San Marcos is 19.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than NSC (about $1,317 more per year; $8,082.00 vs. $6,765.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.6% higher at NSC than at California State University San Marcos (about $1,151 more per year; $21,833.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Nevada State University than at California State University San Marcos (88% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 39.6% larger than aid received by Nevada State University students ($11,123 vs. $7,969).

California State University-San Marcos vs. NSC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-San Marcos or NSC? 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 NSC 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; NSC - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.57 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at NSC (2.75).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than NSC (86.8%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at California State University-San Marcos vs. 33.2% at NSC.

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

How do outcomes compare for California State University-San Marcos and NSC? 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 Nevada State University's (22%).
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $4,925 lower median loan debt than NSC graduates ($17,995 vs. $22,920).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $50 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than NSC graduates ($186 vs. $236).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSC students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 43%)

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.