Add a college to compare up to four schools
Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison.
Lamar University University of Houston-Downtown Cal State Fullerton SFASU San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus Tarleton Texas State UNT California State University-Northridge TAMUK Sacramento State Texas A&M| Sam Houston State University | California State University San Marcos | College 3 | College 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|||
| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
SHSU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Location | Huntsville, TX | San Marcos, CA | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 21,480 | 15,109 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #778 | #836 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | shsu.edu | csusm.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
SHSU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $5,856 | $5,742 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $15,648 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,908 | $13,972 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $13,632 | $10,463 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,499 | $8,922 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 73% | 67% |
Admission |
SHSU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 16,316 | 14,774 | ||
| Admitted | 13,809 | 14,064 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 84.6% | 95.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 24.6% | 18.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.25 | 3.32 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 18/24 | 17/22 | ||
| SAT Range | 960/1140 | 950/1130 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2025 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
SHSU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student to Faculty Ratio | 20:1 | 23:1 | ||
| Popular Majors |
|
|
||
Outcomes |
SHSU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Graduation Rate | 50% | 49% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $47,800 | $49,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 57% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,500 | $17,995 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $222 | $186 |
Diversity |
SHSU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 36% | 39% | ||
| % Women | 64% | 61% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 53% | 30% | ||
| % Black | 19% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 20% | 42% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 6% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 5% |
Students |
SHSU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 98% | 98% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 1% | 1% | ||
Campus |
SHSU | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Sam Houston State University is larger than than California State University-San Marcos based on total student enrollment (21,480 students vs. 15,109 students)
SHSU vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, SHSU or California State University-San Marcos?
- Sam Houston State University is 2% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($5,856.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 12.6% higher at California State University-San Marcos than Sam Houston State University ($17,622.00 vs. $15,648.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than SHSU ($10,463 vs. $13,632)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Sam Houston State University are 28.1% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($10,908 vs. $13,972)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Sam Houston State University than California State University San Marcos (73% vs. 67%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Sam Houston State University students is 17.7% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($10,499 vs. $8,922)
SHSU vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, SHSU 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 SHSU .
- The average SAT score at Sam Houston State University (997) is 42 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (955)
- Incoming SHSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at California State University-San Marcos (21)
- Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at SHSU (3.25)
- California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than SHSU (84.6%)
SHSU vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, SHSU 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 SHSU.
- The graduation rate at SHSU is higher than California State University San Marcos (50% vs. 49%)
- Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $1,300 more per year than SHSU graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $47,800)
- California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $3,505 lower median federal student loan debt than SHSU graduates. ($17,995 vs. $21,500)
- California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than SHSU graduates. ($186 vs. $222)
- More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SHSU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 57%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/