California State University-San Marcos vs. SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA with SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary in El Dorado Hills, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University San Marcos is larger than SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 319 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting); SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary is in El Dorado Hills, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University San Marcos 24:1; SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary 18:1.

California State University-San Marcos vs. SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary? 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 SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary ($10,241 vs. $22,276).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary are 47.9% lower than at California State University San Marcos ($7,380 vs. $14,152).
• SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary is 29.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $2,378 more per year; $10,460.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 97.7% higher at California State University-San Marcos than at SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary (about $10,222 more per year; $20,682.00 vs. $10,460.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University San Marcos than at SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary (71% vs. 48%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 315% larger than aid received by SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary students ($11,123 vs. $2,680).

California State University-San Marcos vs. SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-San Marcos or SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary? 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 SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary 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; SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026; SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary Aug 1, 2027.
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary (40.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at California State University-San Marcos vs. 100% at SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary.

California State University-San Marcos vs. SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-San Marcos and SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary? 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).

• SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary's six-year graduation rate (100%) is higher than California State University San Marcos's (49%).
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $11,809 lower median loan debt than SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary graduates ($17,995 vs. $29,804).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $122 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary graduates ($186 vs. $308).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUM Bible College and Theological Seminary students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 33%)

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.