California College of ASU vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare California College of ASU in Los Angeles, 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 California College of ASU based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 71 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California College of ASU is located in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California College of ASU is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California College of ASU 7:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

California College of ASU vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of ASU 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 California College of ASU ($10,241 vs. $28,425).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 35.9% lower than at California College of ASU ($14,152 vs. $22,086).
• California College of ASU is 211.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $17,104 more per year; $25,186.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 21.8% higher at California College of ASU than at California State University San Marcos (about $4,504 more per year; $25,186.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California College of ASU 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 23.7% larger than aid received by California College of ASU students ($11,123 vs. $8,991).

California College of ASU vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California College of ASU or California State University-San Marcos? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between California State University-San Marcos and California College of ASU.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of ASU - Not reported; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at California College of ASU (3.2).

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

How do outcomes compare for California College of ASU and California State University-San Marcos? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• California State University San Marcos's six-year graduation rate is 49%. Comparable graduation rate data is not available for California College of ASU.
• Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn a median of about $13,000 more per year than California College of ASU graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,100 vs. $36,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $7,028 lower median loan debt than California College of ASU graduates ($17,995 vs. $25,023).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $72 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California College of ASU graduates ($186 vs. $258).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California College of ASU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 41%)

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.