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Texas Tech Cal State Fullerton San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus SHSU TAMUK A&M Commerce UNT Angelo State SFASU Texas A&M West Texas A & M University MSU| Tarleton State University | California State University San Marcos | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Tarleton | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Location | Stephenville, TX | San Marcos, CA | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 15,937 | 15,431 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #904 | #833 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | tarleton.edu | csusm.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Tarleton | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $4,416 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $14,496 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,846 | $14,152 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $15,363 | $10,500 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $7,600 | $10,247 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 89% | 72% |
Admission |
Tarleton | California State University-San Marcos | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 8,746 | 17,519 | ||
| Admitted | 8,239 | 16,765 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 94.2% | 95.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 32.8% | 15.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.21 | 3.32 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/24 | 17/22 | ||
| SAT Range | 960/1150 | 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, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
Tarleton | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Tarleton | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Graduation Rate | 39% | 49% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $45,500 | $49,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 56% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,750 | $17,995 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $204 | $186 |
Diversity |
Tarleton | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| % Men | 5% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 6% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 68% | 30% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 18% | 42% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 6% | ||
| % International | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 5% |
Students |
Tarleton | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| % In-State | 96% | 97% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 3% | 2% | ||
Campus |
Tarleton | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | No | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Tarleton State University is larger than than California State University-San Marcos based on total student enrollment (15,937 students vs. 15,431 students)
Tarleton vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Tarleton or California State University-San Marcos?
- California State University San Marcos is 30% more expensive to attend than Tarleton for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $4,416.00)
- Out of state tuition is 21.6% higher at California State University-San Marcos than Tarleton State University ($17,622.00 vs. $14,496.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than Tarleton ($10,500 vs. $15,363)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Tarleton State University are 30.5% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($10,846 vs. $14,152)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Tarleton State University than California State University San Marcos (89% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 34.8% larger than aid received Tarleton State University ($10,247 vs. $7,600)
Tarleton vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Tarleton 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 Tarleton .
- The average SAT score at Tarleton State University (959) is 4 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (955)
- Incoming Tarleton students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at California State University-San Marcos (21)
- Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at Tarleton (3.21)
- California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than Tarleton (94.2%)
Tarleton vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Tarleton 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 Tarleton.
- The graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos is higher than Tarleton State University (49% vs. 39%)
- Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $3,600 more per year than Tarleton graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $45,500)
- California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $1,755 lower median federal student loan debt than Tarleton graduates. ($17,995 vs. $19,750)
- California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Tarleton graduates. ($186 vs. $204)
- More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tarleton students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 56%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/