Lincoln University vs. California State University-San Marcos

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

Lincoln University California State University-San Marcos
Location Oakland, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 474 15,431
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #833
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lincolnuca.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Lincoln University California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $10,920 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $10,920 $17,622
Room & Board $8,400 $14,152
Avg Net Price $30,324 $10,500
Avg Grant Aid $4,456 $10,247
% Receiving Grant Aid 59% 72%

Admission

Lincoln University California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 17,519
Admitted - 16,765
Acceptance Rate Open 95.7%
Enrolled % Open 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 2.6 3.32
Typical High School Grades C+ 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 Jul 13, 2026 Nov 30, 2025

Academics

Lincoln University California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • English and Literature (59%)
  • Health Professions (35%)
  • Business (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Lincoln University California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 60% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $17,995
Median Loan Payment N/A $186

Diversity

Lincoln University California State University-San Marcos
% Men 30% 2%
% Women 23% 6%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 17% 30%
% Black 11% 3%
% Hispanic 0% 42%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 6%
% International 62% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Lincoln University California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 100% 97%
% Out-of-State 0% 2%

Campus

Lincoln University California State University-San Marcos
Campus Housing No 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 Lincoln University based on total student enrollment (15,431 students vs. 474 students)

Lincoln University vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

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

  • Lincoln University is 90.2% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($10,920.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 61.4% higher at California State University-San Marcos than Lincoln University ($17,622.00 vs. $10,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than Lincoln University ($10,500 vs. $30,324)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lincoln University are 68.5% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($8,400 vs. $14,152)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University San Marcos than Lincoln University (72% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 130% larger than aid received Lincoln University ($10,247 vs. $4,456)

Which college is harder to get into, Lincoln 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 Lincoln University .

  • Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.72 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at Lincoln University (2.6)

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

Which is better, Lincoln 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 Lincoln University.

  • The graduation rate at Lincoln University is higher than California State University San Marcos (60% vs. 49%)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lincoln 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/