California State University-San Marcos vs. OUAZ-Surprise

Comparable Facts

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

California State University San Marcos is larger than OUAZ-Surprise based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 912 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Ottawa University Surprise is in Surprise, Arizona (Large Suburban setting).
• California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Ottawa University Surprise is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University San Marcos 24:1; Ottawa University Surprise 11:1.

California State University-San Marcos vs. OUAZ-Surprise Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or OUAZ-Surprise? 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 OUAZ-Surprise ($10,241 vs. $34,037).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 14.2% lower than at Ottawa University Surprise ($14,152 vs. $16,500).
• Ottawa University Surprise is 343.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $27,798 more per year; $35,880.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 73.5% higher at OUAZ-Surprise than at California State University San Marcos (about $15,198 more per year; $35,880.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Ottawa University Surprise than at California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Ottawa University Surprise students is 64.7% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($18,321 vs. $11,123).

California State University-San Marcos vs. OUAZ-Surprise Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-San Marcos or OUAZ-Surprise? 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 OUAZ-Surprise and California State University-San Marcos.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at California State University San Marcos (1040) is 40 points higher than at OUAZ-Surprise (1000).
• Incoming California State University-San Marcos students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (19 vs. 18 at OUAZ-Surprise).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Marcos 950/1130; Ottawa University Surprise 840/1160.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Marcos 17/22; Ottawa University Surprise 16/21.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-San Marcos - Test-free; OUAZ-Surprise - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than OUAZ-Surprise (78.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at California State University-San Marcos vs. 26.3% at OUAZ-Surprise.

California State University-San Marcos vs. OUAZ-Surprise Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-San Marcos and OUAZ-Surprise? 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).

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.