HIU vs. California State University-San Marcos

Should I go to Hope International University or California State University San Marcos? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if HIU 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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Hope International University vs. California State University San Marcos comparison
Hope International University California State University San Marcos College 3 College 4
Hope International University California State University San Marcos
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Overview

HIU California State University-San Marcos
Location Fullerton, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,116 15,109
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #935 #836
Religious Affiliation Christian Churches and Churches of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hiu.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

HIU California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $34,500 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $34,500 $17,622
Room & Board $13,050 $13,972
Avg Net Price $26,146 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $23,077 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 67%

Admission

HIU California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 810 14,774
Admitted 261 14,064
Acceptance Rate 32.2% 95.2%
Enrolled % 33.3% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.26 3.32
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 17/22
SAT Range 1000/1180 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 Aug 20, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

HIU California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (36%)
  • Work and Family Studies (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

HIU California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 32% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,700 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $268 $186

Diversity

HIU California State University-San Marcos
% Men 35% 39%
% Women 65% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 42% 30%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 21% 42%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 11% 6%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 15% 5%

Students

HIU California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 82% 98%
% Out-of-State 10% 1%

Campus

HIU California State University-San Marcos
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University San Marcos is larger than than HIU based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 1,116 students)

HIU vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

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

  • Hope International University is 500.8% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($34,500.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 95.8% higher at HIU than California State University San Marcos ($34,500.00 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 HIU ($10,463 vs. $26,146)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Hope International University are 7.1% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($13,050 vs. $13,972)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hope International University than California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hope International University students is 158.7% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($23,077 vs. $8,922)

HIU vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, HIU 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 HIU .

  • The average SAT score at California State University San Marcos (955) is 45 points higher than at HIU (910)
  • Incoming California State University-San Marcos students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at HIU (19)
  • Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at HIU (3.26)
  • California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than HIU (32.2%)

HIU vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, HIU 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 HIU.

  • The graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos is higher than Hope International University (49% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $9,400 more per year than HIU graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $39,700)
  • California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $8,005 lower median federal student loan debt than HIU graduates. ($17,995 vs. $26,000)
  • California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $82 less per month on federal student loans than HIU graduates. ($186 vs. $268)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former HIU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 58%)

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