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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 | Ottawa University Surprise | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
California State University-San Marcos | OUAZ-Surprise | ||
| Location | San Marcos, CA | Surprise, Arizona | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,431 | 836 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #833 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | American Baptist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csusm.edu | ottawa.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
California State University-San Marcos | OUAZ-Surprise | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $31,900 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $31,900 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,152 | $15,340 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $10,500 | $35,030 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,247 | $16,533 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 72% | 100% |
Admission |
California State University-San Marcos | OUAZ-Surprise | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,519 | 1,359 | ||
| Admitted | 16,765 | 542 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.7% | 39.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.7% | 38.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.32 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 17/22 | 15/21 | ||
| SAT Range | 950/1130 | 910/1050 | ||
| 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 | OUAZ-Surprise | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 21:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
California State University-San Marcos | OUAZ-Surprise | ||
| Graduation Rate | 49% | - | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $49,100 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 66% | - | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $17,995 | N/A | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $186 | N/A |
Diversity |
California State University-San Marcos | OUAZ-Surprise | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 6% | 3% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | - | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 30% | 0% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 0% | ||
| % Hispanic | 42% | 0% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 0% | ||
| % International | 2% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 0% |
Students |
California State University-San Marcos | OUAZ-Surprise | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 97% | 60% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 40% | ||
Campus |
California State University-San Marcos | OUAZ-Surprise | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | |||
| Meal Plan | No | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | |||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University San Marcos is larger than than OUAZ-Surprise based on total student enrollment (15,431 students vs. 836 students)
California State University-San Marcos vs. OUAZ-Surprise Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or OUAZ-Surprise?
- Ottawa University Surprise is 455.6% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($31,900.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 81% higher at OUAZ-Surprise than California State University San Marcos ($31,900.00 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 OUAZ-Surprise ($10,500 vs. $35,030)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 8.4% lower than costs at Ottawa University Surprise ($14,152 vs. $15,340)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Ottawa University Surprise than California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Ottawa University Surprise students is 61.3% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($16,533 vs. $10,247)
California State University-San Marcos vs. OUAZ-Surprise Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, California State University-San Marcos or OUAZ-Surprise? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between OUAZ-Surprise or California State University-San Marcos .
- California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than OUAZ-Surprise (39.9%)
California State University-San Marcos vs. OUAZ-Surprise Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, California State University-San Marcos or OUAZ-Surprise? 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 OUAZ-Surprise and California State University-San Marcos.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/