University of Redlands vs. California State University-San Marcos

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

University of Redlands California State University-San Marcos
Location Redlands, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,460 15,109
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #248 #836
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website redlands.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Redlands California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $55,328 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $55,328 $17,622
Room & Board $15,758 $13,972
Avg Net Price $28,157 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $42,251 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 67%

Admission

University of Redlands California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,872 14,774
Admitted 3,170 14,064
Acceptance Rate 81.9% 95.2%
Enrolled % 17% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.32
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/30 17/22
SAT Range 1113/1278 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 Jul 1, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

University of Redlands California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (44%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

University of Redlands California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 70% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,400 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,500 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $294 $186

Diversity

University of Redlands California State University-San Marcos
% Men 39% 39%
% Women 61% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 30%
% Black 5% 3%
% Hispanic 27% 42%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 8% 5%

Students

University of Redlands California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 75% 98%
% Out-of-State 23% 1%

Campus

University of Redlands California State University-San Marcos
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes 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 University of Redlands based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 3,460 students)

University of Redlands vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Redlands or California State University-San Marcos?

  • University of Redlands is 863.6% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($55,328.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 214% higher at University of Redlands than California State University San Marcos ($55,328.00 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 University of Redlands ($10,463 vs. $28,157)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 12.8% lower than costs at University of Redlands ($13,972 vs. $15,758)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Redlands than California State University San Marcos (94% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Redlands students is 373.6% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($42,251 vs. $8,922)

University of Redlands vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of Redlands 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 University of Redlands .

  • The average SAT score at University of Redlands (1130) is 175 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (955)
  • Incoming University of Redlands students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at California State University-San Marcos (21)
  • Accepted freshman University of Redlands students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)
  • California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than University of Redlands (81.9%)

University of Redlands vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Redlands 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 University of Redlands.

  • The graduation rate at University of Redlands is higher than California State University San Marcos (70% vs. 49%)
  • Graduates from University of Redlands earn on average $7,300 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates after ten years. ($56,400 vs. $49,100)
  • California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $10,505 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Redlands graduates. ($17,995 vs. $28,500)
  • California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $108 less per month on federal student loans than University of Redlands graduates. ($186 vs. $294)
  • More University of Redlands graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Marcos students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 66%)

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