UC Riverside vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare University of California Riverside in Riverside, CA with California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of California Riverside is larger than California State University-San Marcos based on total student enrollment (26,384 students vs. 16,237 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of California Riverside is located in Riverside, CA (Large City setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• University of California Riverside is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of California Riverside 22:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

UC Riverside vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

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

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than UC Riverside ($10,241 vs. $14,562).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 31.6% lower than at University of California Riverside ($14,152 vs. $20,691).
• University of California Riverside is 93.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $7,524 more per year; $15,606.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 140.8% higher at UC Riverside than at California State University San Marcos (about $29,124 more per year; $49,806.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of California Riverside than at California State University San Marcos (76% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Riverside students is 119% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($24,355 vs. $11,123).

UC Riverside vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UC Riverside 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 UC Riverside.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of California Riverside (1180) is 140 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (1040).
• Incoming UC Riverside students have a 7 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (26 vs. 19 at California State University-San Marcos).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Riverside 1080/1280; California State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of California Riverside 22/31; California State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UC Riverside - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UC Riverside Nov 30, 2026; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman UC Riverside students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than UC Riverside (76.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.2% at UC Riverside vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

UC Riverside vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UC Riverside 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).

• University of California Riverside's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than California State University San Marcos's (49%).
• Graduates from University of California Riverside earn a median of about $3,100 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates about ten years after starting college ($52,200 vs. $49,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $1,114 lower median loan debt than UC Riverside graduates ($17,995 vs. $19,109).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UC Riverside graduates ($186 vs. $197).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC Riverside students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 65%)

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.