La Verne vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare University of La Verne in La Verne, 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 La Verne based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 5,021 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of La Verne is located in La Verne, CA (Large Suburban setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• University of La Verne 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: University of La Verne 10:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

La Verne vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, La Verne 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 La Verne ($10,241 vs. $21,530).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 10.6% lower than at University of La Verne ($14,152 vs. $15,830).
• University of La Verne is 512.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $41,388 more per year; $49,470.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 139.2% higher at La Verne than at California State University San Marcos (about $28,788 more per year; $49,470.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of La Verne than at California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of La Verne students is 265.8% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($40,688 vs. $11,123).

La Verne vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, La Verne or California State University-San Marcos? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between California State University-San Marcos and La Verne.

• The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at University of La Verne (1110) is 70 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (1040).
• Incoming La Verne students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (21 vs. 19 at California State University-San Marcos).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of La Verne 986/1236; California State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of La Verne 18/25; California State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: La Verne - Test optional; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at La Verne (3.24).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than La Verne (71.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.8% at La Verne vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

La Verne vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for La Verne and California State University-San Marcos? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• University of La Verne's six-year graduation rate (58%) is higher than California State University San Marcos's (49%).
• Graduates from University of La Verne earn a median of about $2,900 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates about ten years after starting college ($52,000 vs. $49,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $7,005 lower median loan debt than La Verne graduates ($17,995 vs. $25,000).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $72 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than La Verne graduates ($186 vs. $258).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former La Verne students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 51%)

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.