Laguna College of Art and Design vs. California State University-San Marcos

Should I go to Laguna College of Art and Design or California State University San Marcos? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Laguna College of Art and Design 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Laguna College of Art and Design vs. California State University San Marcos comparison
Laguna College of Art and Design California State University San Marcos College 3 College 4
California State University San Marcos
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Laguna College of Art and Design California State University-San Marcos
Location Laguna Beach, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 760 15,109
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #836
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lagunacollege.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Laguna College of Art and Design California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $34,600 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $34,600 $17,622
Room & Board $16,991 $13,972
Avg Net Price $42,896 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $11,841 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 67%

Admission

Laguna College of Art and Design California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 361 14,774
Admitted 319 14,064
Acceptance Rate 88.4% 95.2%
Enrolled % 36.4% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 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) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Laguna College of Art and Design California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 9:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Laguna College of Art and Design California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 56% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,100 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,699 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $276 $186

Diversity

Laguna College of Art and Design California State University-San Marcos
% Men 26% 39%
% Women 74% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 30%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 19% 42%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 8% 5%

Students

Laguna College of Art and Design California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 65% 98%
% Out-of-State 29% 1%

Campus

Laguna College of Art and Design California State University-San Marcos
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No 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 Laguna College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 760 students)

Laguna College of Art and Design vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Laguna College of Art and Design or California State University-San Marcos?

  • Laguna College of Art and Design is 502.6% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($34,600.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 96.3% higher at Laguna College of Art and Design than California State University San Marcos ($34,600.00 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 Laguna College of Art and Design ($10,463 vs. $42,896)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 21.6% lower than costs at Laguna College of Art and Design ($13,972 vs. $16,991)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Laguna College of Art and Design than California State University San Marcos (99% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Laguna College of Art and Design students is 32.7% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($11,841 vs. $8,922)

Laguna College of Art and Design vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Laguna College of Art and Design 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 Laguna College of Art and Design .

  • Accepted freshman Laguna College of Art and Design students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)
  • California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than Laguna College of Art and Design (88.4%)

Laguna College of Art and Design vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Laguna College of Art and Design 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 Laguna College of Art and Design.

  • The graduation rate at Laguna College of Art and Design is higher than California State University San Marcos (56% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $9,000 more per year than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $40,100)
  • California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $8,704 lower median federal student loan debt than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates. ($17,995 vs. $26,699)
  • California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $90 less per month on federal student loans than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates. ($186 vs. $276)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Laguna College of Art and Design students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 61%)

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