Platt College-Los Angeles vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare Platt College Los Angeles in Alhambra, 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 Platt College-Los Angeles based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 570 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Platt College Los Angeles is located in Alhambra, CA (Large Suburban setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Platt College Los Angeles is a private, for-profit 4-year institution. California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Platt College Los Angeles 21:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

Platt College-Los Angeles vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Platt College-Los Angeles 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 Platt College-Los Angeles ($10,241 vs. $27,195).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 17.6% lower than at Platt College Los Angeles ($14,152 vs. $17,178).
• Platt College Los Angeles is 84.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $6,840 more per year; $14,922.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 38.6% higher at California State University-San Marcos than at Platt College Los Angeles (about $5,760 more per year; $20,682.00 vs. $14,922.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Platt College Los Angeles than at California State University San Marcos (79% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 106.6% larger than aid received by Platt College Los Angeles students ($11,123 vs. $5,383).

Platt College-Los Angeles vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Platt College-Los Angeles 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 Platt College-Los Angeles.

• Platt College Los Angeles reports an open admissions policy.
• 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: Platt College-Los Angeles - Open admission; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.

Platt College-Los Angeles vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Platt College-Los Angeles 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 Platt College Los Angeles's (46%).
• Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn a median of about $14,400 more per year than Platt College-Los Angeles graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,100 vs. $34,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $3,005 lower median loan debt than Platt College-Los Angeles graduates ($17,995 vs. $21,000).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $31 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Platt College-Los Angeles graduates ($186 vs. $217).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Platt College-Los Angeles students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 28%)

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.