Southern California Seminary vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare Southern California Seminary in El Cajon, 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 Southern California Seminary based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 161 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Southern California Seminary is located in El Cajon, CA (Large Suburban setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Southern California Seminary 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: Southern California Seminary 9:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

Southern California Seminary vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Southern California Seminary or California State University-San Marcos? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 9.5% lower than at Southern California Seminary ($14,152 vs. $15,633).
• Southern California Seminary is 136.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $10,998 more per year; $19,080.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.4% higher at California State University-San Marcos than at Southern California Seminary (about $1,602 more per year; $20,682.00 vs. $19,080.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University San Marcos than at Southern California Seminary (71% vs. 0%).

Southern California Seminary vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Southern California Seminary 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 Southern California Seminary.

• Southern California Seminary reports an open admissions policy.
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Southern California Seminary - Open admission; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.

Southern California Seminary vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Southern California Seminary 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).

• California State University San Marcos's six-year graduation rate (49%) is higher than Southern California Seminary's (33%).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southern California Seminary students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 50%)

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.