Sonoma State University vs. California State University-San Marcos

Should I go to Sonoma State University or California State University San Marcos? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Sonoma State University 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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Sonoma State University vs. California State University San Marcos comparison
Sonoma State University California State University San Marcos College 3 College 4
Sonoma State University California State University San Marcos
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Overview

Sonoma State University California State University-San Marcos
Location Rohnert Park, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,637 15,109
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #675 #836
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sonoma.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Sonoma State University California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $14,926 $13,972
Avg Net Price $15,507 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $7,287 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 77% 67%

Admission

Sonoma State University California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 10,806 14,774
Admitted 10,158 14,064
Acceptance Rate 94% 95.2%
Enrolled % 9.5% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.32
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 17/22
SAT Range 950/1150 950/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Sonoma State University California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Sonoma State University California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 57% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,300 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,500 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $180 $186

Diversity

Sonoma State University California State University-San Marcos
% Men 37% 39%
% Women 63% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 30%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 29% 42%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 7% 5%

Students

Sonoma State University California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 97% 98%
% Out-of-State 3% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University San Marcos is larger than than Sonoma State University based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 6,637 students)

Sonoma State University vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

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

  • Sonoma State University and California State University-San Marcos cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at Sonoma State University as California State University San Marcos ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than Sonoma State University ($10,463 vs. $15,507)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 6.8% lower than costs at Sonoma State University ($13,972 vs. $14,926)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Sonoma State University than California State University San Marcos (77% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 22.4% larger than aid received Sonoma State University ($8,922 vs. $7,287)

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

Which college is harder to get into, Sonoma State University 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 Sonoma State University .

  • The average SAT score at Sonoma State University (996) is 41 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (955)
  • Incoming Sonoma State University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at California State University-San Marcos (21)
  • Accepted freshman Sonoma State University students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)
  • California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than Sonoma State University (94%)

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

Which is better, Sonoma State University 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 Sonoma State University.

  • The graduation rate at Sonoma State University is higher than California State University San Marcos (57% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from Sonoma State University earn on average $200 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates after ten years. ($49,300 vs. $49,100)
  • Sonoma State University students graduate with a $495 lower median federal student loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($17,500 vs. $17,995)
  • Sonoma State University graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($180 vs. $186)
  • More Sonoma State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Marcos students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 66%)

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