USD vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare University of San Diego in San Diego, 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 USD based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 9,714 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of San Diego is located in San Diego, CA (Large City setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• University of San Diego 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 San Diego 13:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

USD vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD 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 USD ($10,241 vs. $37,918).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 28.9% lower than at University of San Diego ($14,152 vs. $19,918).
• University of San Diego is 636% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $51,404 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 187.6% higher at USD than at California State University San Marcos (about $38,804 more per year; $59,486.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of San Diego than at California State University San Marcos (84% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Diego students is 268.3% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($40,965 vs. $11,123).

USD vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USD 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 USD.

• 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: USD - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: USD Dec 15, 2026; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than USD (52.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 12.4% at USD vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

USD vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for USD 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 San Diego's six-year graduation rate (75%) is higher than California State University San Marcos's (49%).
• Graduates from University of San Diego earn a median of about $21,100 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,200 vs. $49,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $4,909 lower median loan debt than USD graduates ($17,995 vs. $22,904).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $50 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than USD graduates ($186 vs. $236).
• More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Marcos students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 66%)

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.