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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 | University of the People | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
California State University-San Marcos | University of the People | ||
| Location | San Marcos, CA | Pasadena, California | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,431 | 42,867 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #833 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | csusm.edu | uopeople.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
California State University-San Marcos | University of the People | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $0 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $0 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,152 | $2,001 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $10,500 | $1,639 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,247 | $962 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 72% | 76% |
Admission |
California State University-San Marcos | University of the People | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 17,519 | - | ||
| Admitted | 16,765 | - | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.7% | Open | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.7% | Open | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.32 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Extremely Easy | Unavailable | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/22 | |||
| SAT Range | 950/1130 | |||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | |||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
California State University-San Marcos | University of the People | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 21:1 | 27:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
California State University-San Marcos | University of the People | ||
| 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 | University of the People | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 2% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 6% | 7% | ||
| 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 | University of the People | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 97% | 2% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 2% | 14% | ||
Campus |
California State University-San Marcos | University of the People | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | No | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | |||
| Meal Plan | No | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | |||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of the People is larger than than California State University-San Marcos based on total student enrollment (42,867 students vs. 15,431 students)
California State University-San Marcos vs. University of the People Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or University of the People?
- California State University San Marcos is ?% more expensive to attend than University of the People for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $0.00)
- Out of state tuition is ?% higher at California State University-San Marcos than University of the People ($17,622.00 vs. $0.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of the People than California State University-San Marcos ($1,639 vs. $10,500)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of the People are 607.2% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($2,001 vs. $14,152)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of the People than California State University San Marcos (76% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 965.2% larger than aid received University of the People ($10,247 vs. $962)
Which college is harder to get into, California State University-San Marcos or University of the People? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University of the People or California State University-San Marcos .
California State University-San Marcos vs. University of the People Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, California State University-San Marcos or University of the People? 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 University of the People and California State University-San Marcos.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/