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CSU Cal State Fullerton Sonoma State University San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus San Francisco State CSUMB California State University-Northridge Sacramento State San Diego State UCSC USC UC Davis| Humboldt State University | California State University San Marcos | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Humboldt State University | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Location | Arcata, CA | San Marcos, CA | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 6,025 | 15,109 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #831 | #836 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | humboldt.edu | csusm.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Humboldt State University | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,742 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $17,622 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,540 | $13,972 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $14,325 | $10,463 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,262 | $8,922 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 66% | 67% |
Admission |
Humboldt State University | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 8,505 | 14,774 | ||
| Admitted | 8,350 | 14,064 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 98.2% | 95.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 11.5% | 18.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.33 | 3.32 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/25 | 17/22 | ||
| SAT Range | 970/1190 | 950/1130 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Apr 30, 2025 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
Humboldt State University | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 23:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Humboldt State University | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Graduation Rate | 40% | 49% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,000 | $49,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 56% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $17,995 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $186 |
Diversity |
Humboldt State University | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| % Men | 42% | 39% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 61% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 45% | 30% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 33% | 42% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 6% | 6% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 7% | 5% |
Students |
Humboldt State University | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| % In-State | 91% | 98% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 8% | 1% | ||
Campus |
Humboldt State University | 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 | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- California State University San Marcos is larger than than Humboldt State University based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 6,025 students)
Humboldt State University vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Humboldt State University or California State University-San Marcos?
- Humboldt State University and California State University-San Marcos cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is the same at Humboldt State University as California State University San Marcos ($17,622.00 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 Humboldt State University ($10,463 vs. $14,325)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Humboldt State University are 11.4% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($12,540 vs. $13,972)
- More students receive financial grant aid at California State University San Marcos than Humboldt State University (67% vs. 66%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Humboldt State University students is 3.8% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($9,262 vs. $8,922)
Humboldt State University vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Humboldt State 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 Humboldt State University .
- The average SAT score at Humboldt State University (990) is 35 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (955)
- Incoming Humboldt State University students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at California State University-San Marcos (21)
- Accepted freshman Humboldt State University students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)
- Humboldt State University has a higher acceptance rate (98.2%) than California State University-San Marcos (95.2%)
Humboldt State University vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Humboldt State 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 Humboldt State University.
- The graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos is higher than Humboldt State University (49% vs. 40%)
- Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $10,100 more per year than Humboldt State University graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $39,000)
- California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $1,505 lower median federal student loan debt than Humboldt State University graduates. ($17,995 vs. $19,500)
- California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Humboldt State University graduates. ($186 vs. $201)
- More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Humboldt State University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 56%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/