CSU Stanislaus vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

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

California State University San Marcos is larger than CSU Stanislaus based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 9,724 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Stanislaus is located in Turlock, CA (Small Suburban setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Stanislaus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Stanislaus 18:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

CSU Stanislaus vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU Stanislaus or California State University-San Marcos? 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 Stanislaus than California State University-San Marcos ($7,433 vs. $10,241).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Stanislaus are 7.2% lower than at California State University San Marcos ($13,126 vs. $14,152).
• California State University Stanislaus is 2% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $164 more per year; $8,246.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.8% higher at CSU Stanislaus than at California State University San Marcos (about $164 more per year; $20,846.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Stanislaus than at California State University San Marcos (86% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Stanislaus students is 12.3% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($12,492 vs. $11,123).

CSU Stanislaus vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSU Stanislaus - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSU Stanislaus Nov 30, 2026; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman CSU Stanislaus students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32).
• CSU Stanislaus has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than California State University-San Marcos (95.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.1% at CSU Stanislaus vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

CSU Stanislaus vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSU Stanislaus and California State University-San Marcos? 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).

• The graduation rate at CSU Stanislaus is the same as at California State University San Marcos (49% vs. 49%).
• Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn a median of about $3,200 more per year than CSU Stanislaus graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,100 vs. $45,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Stanislaus graduates have a $2,995 lower median loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($15,000 vs. $17,995).
• Among borrowers, CSU Stanislaus graduates have an estimated $31 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($155 vs. $186).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Stanislaus students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 64%)

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.