SCI-Arc vs. California State University-San Marcos

Should I go to Southern California Institute of Architecture or California State University San Marcos? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SCI-Arc 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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Southern California Institute of Architecture vs. California State University San Marcos comparison
Southern California Institute of Architecture California State University San Marcos College 3 College 4
Southern California Institute of Architecture California State University San Marcos
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Overview

SCI-Arc California State University-San Marcos
Location Los Angeles, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 507 15,109
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #836
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sciarc.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SCI-Arc California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $49,490 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $49,490 $17,622
Room & Board $13,440 $13,972
Avg Net Price $19,041 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $43,364 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 30% 67%

Admission

SCI-Arc California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 513 14,774
Admitted 307 14,064
Acceptance Rate 59.8% 95.2%
Enrolled % 9.1% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.32
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/22
SAT Range 1020/1230 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 Jan 15, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

SCI-Arc California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Architecture (100%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

SCI-Arc California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 58% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $42,750 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $442 $186

Diversity

SCI-Arc California State University-San Marcos
% Men 59% 39%
% Women 41% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 13% 30%
% Black 1% 3%
% Hispanic 14% 42%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 51% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

SCI-Arc California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 29% 98%
% Out-of-State 14% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University San Marcos is larger than than SCI-Arc based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 507 students)

SCI-Arc vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

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

  • Southern California Institute of Architecture is 761.9% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($49,490.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 180.8% higher at SCI-Arc than California State University San Marcos ($49,490.00 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 SCI-Arc ($10,463 vs. $19,041)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern California Institute of Architecture are 4% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($13,440 vs. $13,972)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University San Marcos than Southern California Institute of Architecture (67% vs. 30%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southern California Institute of Architecture students is 386% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($43,364 vs. $8,922)

SCI-Arc vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, SCI-Arc 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 SCI-Arc .

  • The average SAT score at Southern California Institute of Architecture (1116) is 161 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (955)
  • Incoming SCI-Arc students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at California State University-San Marcos (21)
  • Accepted freshman SCI-Arc students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)
  • California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than SCI-Arc (59.8%)

SCI-Arc vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SCI-Arc 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 SCI-Arc.

  • The graduation rate at SCI-Arc is higher than California State University San Marcos (58% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $2,700 more per year than SCI-Arc graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $46,400)
  • California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $24,755 lower median federal student loan debt than SCI-Arc graduates. ($17,995 vs. $42,750)
  • California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $256 less per month on federal student loans than SCI-Arc graduates. ($186 vs. $442)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCI-Arc students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 62%)

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