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GCU ASU Cal State Fullerton San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus U of A California State University-Northridge Sacramento State San Diego State Cal State LA California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Cal State Long Beach San Jose State| Northern Arizona University | California State University San Marcos | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
NAU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Location | Flagstaff, AZ | San Marcos, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 28,186 | 15,431 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #833 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | nau.edu | csusm.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
NAU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,352 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,600 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,728 | $14,152 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,544 | $10,500 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $12,377 | $10,247 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 95% | 72% |
Admission |
NAU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 37,805 | 17,519 | ||
| Admitted | 34,383 | 16,765 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 90.9% | 95.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 15.9% | 15.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.7 | 3.32 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | 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 1, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
NAU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
NAU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Graduation Rate | 52% | 49% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $43,900 | $49,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 55% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,000 | $17,995 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $186 |
Diversity |
NAU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| % Men | 6% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 11% | 6% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 59% | 30% | ||
| % Black | 3% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 22% | 42% | ||
| % Native American | 3% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 6% | ||
| % International | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 5% |
Students |
NAU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| % In-State | 79% | 97% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 20% | 2% | ||
Campus |
NAU | 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 | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northern Arizona University is larger than than California State University-San Marcos based on total student enrollment (28,186 students vs. 15,431 students)
NAU vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, NAU or California State University-San Marcos?
- Northern Arizona University is 97.7% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($11,352.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 56.6% higher at NAU than California State University San Marcos ($27,600.00 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 NAU ($10,500 vs. $16,544)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern Arizona University are 20.7% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($11,728 vs. $14,152)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northern Arizona University than California State University San Marcos (95% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northern Arizona University students is 20.8% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($12,377 vs. $10,247)
NAU vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, NAU 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 NAU .
- Accepted freshman NAU students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)
- California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than NAU (90.9%)
NAU vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, NAU 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 NAU.
- The graduation rate at NAU is higher than California State University San Marcos (52% vs. 49%)
- Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $5,200 more per year than NAU graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $43,900)
- California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $2,005 lower median federal student loan debt than NAU graduates. ($17,995 vs. $20,000)
- California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than NAU graduates. ($186 vs. $206)
- More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NAU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 55%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/