Pitzer vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare Pitzer College in Claremont, 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 Pitzer based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 1,242 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Pitzer College is located in Claremont, CA (Large Suburban setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Pitzer College 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: Pitzer College 10:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

Pitzer vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Pitzer 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 Pitzer ($10,241 vs. $34,979).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 36.1% lower than at Pitzer College ($14,152 vs. $22,150).
• Pitzer College is 706.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $57,110 more per year; $65,192.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 215.2% higher at Pitzer than at California State University San Marcos (about $44,510 more per year; $65,192.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University San Marcos than at Pitzer College (71% vs. 39%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Pitzer College students is 362.9% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($51,487 vs. $11,123).

Pitzer vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Pitzer 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 Pitzer.

• 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: Pitzer - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Pitzer Jan 1, 2027; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Pitzer students have a 0.61 point higher average high school GPA (3.93) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than Pitzer (25.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 35.8% at Pitzer vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

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

How do outcomes compare for Pitzer 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).

• Pitzer College's six-year graduation rate (81%) is higher than California State University San Marcos's (49%).
• Graduates from Pitzer College earn a median of about $500 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,600 vs. $49,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Pitzer College graduates have a $2,100 lower median loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($15,895 vs. $17,995).
• Among borrowers, Pitzer graduates have an estimated $22 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($164 vs. $186).
• More Pitzer graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Marcos students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 66%)

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.