Mount Saint Mary's University vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare Mount Saint Mary's University in Los Angeles, 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 Mount Saint Mary's University based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 2,312 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Mount Saint Mary's University is located in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Mount Saint Mary's University 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: Mount Saint Mary's University 8:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

Mount Saint Mary's University vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mount Saint Mary's University 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 Mount Saint Mary's University ($10,241 vs. $27,368).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 8.8% lower than at Mount Saint Mary's University ($14,152 vs. $15,518).
• Mount Saint Mary's University is 513.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $41,482 more per year; $49,564.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 139.6% higher at Mount Saint Mary's University than at California State University San Marcos (about $28,882 more per year; $49,564.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mount Saint Mary's University than at California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Mount Saint Mary's University students is 252.6% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($39,218 vs. $11,123).

Mount Saint Mary's University vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mount Saint Mary's University 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 Mount Saint Mary's University.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at California State University San Marcos (1040) is 30 points higher than at Mount Saint Mary's University (1010).
• Incoming Mount Saint Mary's University students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (20 vs. 19 at California State University-San Marcos).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Mount Saint Mary's University 900/1110; California State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Mount Saint Mary's University 18/23; California State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Mount Saint Mary's University - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Mount Saint Mary's University students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than Mount Saint Mary's University (73.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12% at Mount Saint Mary's University vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

Mount Saint Mary's University vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Mount Saint Mary's University 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).

• California State University San Marcos's six-year graduation rate (49%) is higher than Mount Saint Mary's University's (47%).
• Graduates from Mount Saint Mary's University earn a median of about $9,900 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates about ten years after starting college ($59,000 vs. $49,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $7,005 lower median loan debt than Mount Saint Mary's University graduates ($17,995 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $72 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Mount Saint Mary's University graduates ($186 vs. $258).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mount Saint Mary's University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 59%)

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.