Holy Names University vs. California State University-San Marcos

Should I go to Holy Names University or California State University San Marcos? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Holy Names University or California State University-San Marcos is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Holy Names University vs. California State University San Marcos comparison
Holy Names University California State University San Marcos College 3 College 4
Holy Names University California State University San Marcos
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Overview

Holy Names University California State University-San Marcos
Location Oakland, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 959 15,431
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #833
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hnu.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Holy Names University California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $41,579 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $41,579 $17,622
Room & Board $14,274 $14,152
Avg Net Price - $10,500
Avg Grant Aid $0 $10,247
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 72%

Admission

Holy Names University California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 17,519
Admitted - 16,765
Acceptance Rate 95.7%
Enrolled % 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.35 3.32
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22
SAT Range 950/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2025

Academics

Holy Names University California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Holy Names University California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 39% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,500 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $279 $186

Diversity

Holy Names University California State University-San Marcos
% Men 32% 2%
% Women 68% 6%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 21% 30%
% Black 18% 3%
% Hispanic 37% 42%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 3% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

Holy Names University California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 92% 97%
% Out-of-State 7% 2%

Campus

Holy Names University 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 Holy Names University based on total student enrollment (15,431 students vs. 959 students)

Holy Names University vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Holy Names University or California State University-San Marcos?

  • Holy Names University is 624.1% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($41,579.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 135.9% higher at Holy Names University than California State University San Marcos ($41,579.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 0.9% lower than costs at Holy Names University ($14,152 vs. $14,274)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University San Marcos than Holy Names University (72% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is ?% larger than aid received Holy Names University ($10,247 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, Holy Names University 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 Holy Names University .

  • The average SAT score at California State University San Marcos (955) is 97 points higher than at Holy Names University (858)
  • Incoming California State University-San Marcos students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Holy Names University (18)
  • Accepted freshman Holy Names University students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.35) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)

Holy Names University vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Holy Names University 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 Holy Names University.

  • The graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos is higher than Holy Names University (49% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Holy Names University earn on average $6,400 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates after ten years. ($55,500 vs. $49,100)
  • California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $9,005 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Names University graduates. ($17,995 vs. $27,000)
  • California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Names University graduates. ($186 vs. $279)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Holy Names University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 51%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/