Cogswell College vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Silicon Valley in San Jose, 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 Cogswell College based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 477 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Silicon Valley is located in San Jose, CA (Rural Fringe setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• University of Silicon Valley is a private, for-profit 4-year institution. California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Silicon Valley 13:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

Cogswell College vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cogswell College 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 San Marcos than Cogswell College ($10,241 vs. $31,594).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 29% lower than at University of Silicon Valley ($14,152 vs. $19,926).
• University of Silicon Valley is 178.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $14,398 more per year; $22,480.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.7% higher at Cogswell College than at California State University San Marcos (about $1,798 more per year; $22,480.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Silicon Valley than at California State University San Marcos (85% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 76.8% larger than aid received by University of Silicon Valley students ($11,123 vs. $6,293).

Cogswell College vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cogswell College 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 Cogswell College.

• 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: Cogswell College - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at Cogswell College (2.77).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than Cogswell College (51.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 42% at Cogswell College vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

Cogswell College vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cogswell College 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).

• California State University San Marcos's six-year graduation rate (49%) is higher than University of Silicon Valley's (43%).
• Graduates from University of Silicon Valley earn a median of about $19,700 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates about ten years after starting college ($68,800 vs. $49,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $13,168 lower median loan debt than Cogswell College graduates ($17,995 vs. $31,163).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $136 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cogswell College graduates ($186 vs. $322).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cogswell College students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 60%)

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.