California State University-San Marcos vs. UWest

Comparable Facts

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

California State University San Marcos is larger than UWest based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 138 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

California State University-San Marcos vs. UWest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or UWest? 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 UWest ($10,241 vs. $14,713).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 0.6% lower than at University of the West ($14,152 vs. $14,244).
• University of the West is 91.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $7,364 more per year; $15,446.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 33.9% higher at California State University-San Marcos than at University of the West (about $5,236 more per year; $20,682.00 vs. $15,446.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of the West than at California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 17.8% larger than aid received by University of the West students ($11,123 vs. $9,445).

California State University-San Marcos vs. UWest Admissions comparison

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

• University of the West reports an open admissions policy.
• 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; UWest - Open admission.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026; UWest Jun 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.89 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at UWest (2.43).
• UWest has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than California State University-San Marcos (95.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at California State University-San Marcos vs. 25% at UWest.

California State University-San Marcos vs. UWest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-San Marcos and UWest? 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.