California State University-San Marcos vs. The Chicago School at Los Angeles

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA with The Chicago School at Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University San Marcos is larger than The Chicago School at Los Angeles based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 3,344 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting); The Chicago School at Los Angeles is in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting).
• California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. The Chicago School at Los Angeles is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University San Marcos 24:1; The Chicago School at Los Angeles 11:1.

California State University-San Marcos vs. The Chicago School at Los Angeles Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or The Chicago School at Los Angeles? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 23.7% lower than at The Chicago School at Los Angeles ($14,152 vs. $18,536).
• The Chicago School at Los Angeles is 169.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $13,698 more per year; $21,780.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 5.3% higher at The Chicago School at Los Angeles than at California State University San Marcos (about $1,098 more per year; $21,780.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University San Marcos than at The Chicago School at Los Angeles (71% vs. 0%).

California State University-San Marcos vs. The Chicago School at Los Angeles Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-San Marcos or The Chicago School at Los Angeles? 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 The Chicago School at Los Angeles 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; The Chicago School at Los Angeles - 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 The Chicago School at Los Angeles (46.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at California State University-San Marcos vs. 65.8% at The Chicago School at Los Angeles.

California State University-San Marcos vs. The Chicago School at Los Angeles Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-San Marcos and The Chicago School at Los Angeles? 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.