Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Cal State Fullerton San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus California State University-Northridge Sacramento State San Diego State Cal State LA California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Cal State Long Beach San Jose State CSUMB California State University-Fresno CSU| Dominican University of California | California State University San Marcos | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
DUofC | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Location | San Rafael, CA | San Marcos, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 2,026 | 15,431 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #303 | #833 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | dominican.edu | csusm.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
DUofC | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $49,821 | $5,742 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $49,821 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,986 | $14,152 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $51,292 | $10,500 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $17,287 | $10,247 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 72% |
Admission |
DUofC | California State University-San Marcos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,011 | 17,519 | ||
| Admitted | 1,923 | 16,765 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 95.6% | 95.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 13% | 15.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.66 | 3.32 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 22/30 | 17/22 | ||
| SAT Range | 1070/1291 | 950/1130 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
DUofC | California State University-San Marcos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 8:1 | 21:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
DUofC | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Graduation Rate | 56% | 49% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $58,400 | $49,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 71% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $17,995 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $186 |
Diversity |
DUofC | California State University-San Marcos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 12% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 30% | 6% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 37% | 30% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 20% | 42% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 6% | ||
| % International | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 6% | 5% |
Students |
DUofC | California State University-San Marcos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 82% | 97% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 17% | 2% | ||
Campus |
DUofC | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University San Marcos is larger than than DUofC based on total student enrollment (15,431 students vs. 2,026 students)
DUofC vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, DUofC or California State University-San Marcos?
- Dominican University of California is 767.7% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($49,821.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 182.7% higher at DUofC than California State University San Marcos ($49,821.00 vs. $17,622.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than DUofC ($10,500 vs. $51,292)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 13% lower than costs at Dominican University of California ($14,152 vs. $15,986)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Dominican University of California than California State University San Marcos (99% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Dominican University of California students is 68.7% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($17,287 vs. $10,247)
DUofC vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, DUofC or California State University-San Marcos? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between California State University-San Marcos or DUofC .
- The average SAT score at Dominican University of California (1054) is 99 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (955)
- Incoming DUofC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at California State University-San Marcos (21)
- Accepted freshman DUofC students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)
- California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than DUofC (95.6%)
DUofC vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, DUofC or California State University-San Marcos? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between California State University-San Marcos and DUofC.
- The graduation rate at DUofC is higher than California State University San Marcos (56% vs. 49%)
- Graduates from Dominican University of California earn on average $9,300 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $49,100)
- California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $9,005 lower median federal student loan debt than DUofC graduates. ($17,995 vs. $27,000)
- California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than DUofC graduates. ($186 vs. $279)
- More DUofC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Marcos students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 66%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/