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

Comparable Facts

Compare Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach, CA with California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University San Marcos is larger than Laguna College of Art and Design based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 775 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Laguna College of Art and Design is located in Laguna Beach, CA (Rural Fringe setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Laguna College of Art and Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Laguna College of Art and Design 9:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

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? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• 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 ($10,241 vs. $47,702).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 27.6% lower than at Laguna College of Art and Design ($14,152 vs. $19,553).
• Laguna College of Art and Design is 364% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $29,418 more per year; $37,500.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 81.3% higher at Laguna College of Art and Design than at California State University San Marcos (about $16,818 more per year; $37,500.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Laguna College of Art and Design than at California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Laguna College of Art and Design students is 0.3% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($11,153 vs. $11,123).

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

Which college is harder to get into, Laguna College of Art and Design or California State University-San Marcos? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between California State University-San Marcos and Laguna College of Art and Design.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Laguna College of Art and Design - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Laguna College of Art and Design Aug 15, 2027; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• 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 (95.1%) than Laguna College of Art and Design (94.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 23.1% at Laguna College of Art and Design vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

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

How do outcomes compare for Laguna College of Art and Design and California State University-San Marcos? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Laguna College of Art and Design's six-year graduation rate (56%) is higher than California State University San Marcos's (49%).
• Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn a median of about $9,000 more per year than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,100 vs. $40,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $8,704 lower median loan debt than Laguna College of Art and Design graduates ($17,995 vs. $26,699).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $90 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.