SFBU vs. California State University-San Marcos

Should I go to San Francisco Bay University or California State University San Marcos? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SFBU or California State University-San Marcos is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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San Francisco Bay University vs. California State University San Marcos comparison
San Francisco Bay University California State University San Marcos College 3 College 4
California State University San Marcos
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Overview

SFBU California State University-San Marcos
Location Fremont, California San Marcos, CA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 164 15,109
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #836
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sfbu.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SFBU California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $7,920 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $7,920 $17,622
Room & Board $9,200 $13,972
Avg Net Price $12,510 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $9,570 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 67%

Admission

SFBU California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 157 14,774
Admitted 109 14,064
Acceptance Rate 69.4% 95.2%
Enrolled % 15.6% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 2.72 3.32
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/22
SAT Range 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 5, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

SFBU California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 3:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

SFBU California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate - 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) N/A $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments - 66%
Median Student Loan Debt N/A $17,995
Median Loan Payment N/A $186

Diversity

SFBU California State University-San Marcos
% Men 47% 39%
% Women 53% 61%
Racial Diversity - Very High
HBCU No No
% White 0% 30%
% Black 0% 3%
% Hispanic 0% 42%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 6%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

SFBU California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 0% 98%
% Out-of-State 0% 1%

Campus

SFBU California State University-San Marcos
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University San Marcos is larger than than SFBU based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 164 students)

SFBU vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SFBU or California State University-San Marcos?

  • San Francisco Bay University is 37.9% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($7,920.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 122.5% higher at California State University-San Marcos than San Francisco Bay University ($17,622.00 vs. $7,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than SFBU ($10,463 vs. $12,510)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at San Francisco Bay University are 51.9% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($9,200 vs. $13,972)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at San Francisco Bay University than California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by San Francisco Bay University students is 7.3% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($9,570 vs. $8,922)

SFBU vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SFBU 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 SFBU .

  • Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.6 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at SFBU (2.72)
  • California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than SFBU (69.4%)

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

Which is better, SFBU 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 SFBU.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/