Design Institute of San Diego vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare Design Institute of San Diego in San Diego, 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 Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 94 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Design Institute of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Design Institute of San Diego 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: Design Institute of San Diego 8:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

Design Institute of San Diego vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Design Institute of San Diego 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 Design Institute of San Diego ($10,241 vs. $44,010).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 35.9% lower than at Design Institute of San Diego ($14,152 vs. $22,086).
• Design Institute of San Diego is 262.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $21,218 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 41.7% higher at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University San Marcos (about $8,618 more per year; $29,300.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego than at California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students is 7% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($11,901 vs. $11,123).

Design Institute of San Diego vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Design Institute of San Diego 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 Design Institute of San Diego.

• Design Institute of San Diego reports an open admissions policy.
• 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: Design Institute of San Diego - Open admission; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Design Institute of San Diego has a higher acceptance rate (100%) than California State University-San Marcos (95.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 28.6% at Design Institute of San Diego vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

Design Institute of San Diego vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Design Institute of San Diego 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.

• Design Institute of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (62%) is higher than California State University San Marcos's (49%).
• Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn a median of about $10,200 more per year than Design Institute of San Diego graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,100 vs. $38,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $22,590 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($17,995 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $233 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($186 vs. $419).
• More Design Institute of San Diego graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Marcos students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 66%)

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.