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

Comparable Facts

Compare Saint Mary's College of California in Moraga, 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 Saint Mary's College of California based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 2,734 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Saint Mary's College of California is located in Moraga, CA (Large Suburban setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Saint Mary's College of California 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: Saint Mary's College of California 10:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

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

Which college is more expensive, Saint Mary's College of California 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 Saint Mary's College of California ($10,241 vs. $35,332).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 19.6% lower than at Saint Mary's College of California ($14,152 vs. $17,600).
• Saint Mary's College of California is 615.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $49,721 more per year; $57,803.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 179.5% higher at Saint Mary's College of California than at California State University San Marcos (about $37,121 more per year; $57,803.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Saint Mary's College of California than at California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Mary's College of California students is 281.3% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($42,407 vs. $11,123).

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

Which college is harder to get into, Saint Mary's College of California 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 Saint Mary's College of California.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Saint Mary's College of California (1160) is 120 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (1040).
• Incoming Saint Mary's College of California students have a 5 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (24 vs. 19 at California State University-San Marcos).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College of California 1070/1253; California State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Saint Mary's College of California 21/28; California State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Saint Mary's College of California - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Saint Mary's College of California Jan 15, 2027; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman Saint Mary's College of California students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than Saint Mary's College of California (86.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.5% at Saint Mary's College of California vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

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

How do outcomes compare for Saint Mary's College of California 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).

• Saint Mary's College of California's six-year graduation rate (61%) is higher than California State University San Marcos's (49%).
• Graduates from Saint Mary's College of California earn a median of about $17,700 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,800 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 Saint Mary's College of California 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 Saint Mary's College of California graduates ($186 vs. $258).
• More Saint Mary's College of California graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Marcos students, three years after graduation. (71% 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.