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Cal State Fullerton San Diego State University-Imperial Valley Campus California State University-Northridge Sacramento State San Diego State Cal State LA California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Concordia University-Irvine Cal State Long Beach San Jose State CSUMB California State University-Fresno| Vanguard University of Southern California | California State University San Marcos | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Vanguard University of Southern California | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Location | Costa Mesa, CA | San Marcos, CA | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Rural Fringe | ||
| Enrollment | 2,256 | 15,109 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #660 | #836 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Assemblies of God Church | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | vanguard.edu | csusm.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Vanguard University of Southern California | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $38,000 | $5,742 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $38,000 | $17,622 | ||
| Room & Board | $10,290 | $13,972 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $24,279 | $10,463 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $28,914 | $8,922 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 67% |
Admission |
Vanguard University of Southern California | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,778 | 14,774 | ||
| Admitted | 2,079 | 14,064 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.8% | 95.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 26% | 18.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.31 | 3.32 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Easy | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 19/25 | 17/22 | ||
| SAT Range | 980/1200 | 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, 2025 | Nov 30, 2024 |
Academics |
Vanguard University of Southern California | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 23:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Vanguard University of Southern California | California State University-San Marcos | ||
| Graduation Rate | 55% | 49% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $43,200 | $49,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 64% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $25,000 | $17,995 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $258 | $186 |
Diversity |
Vanguard University of Southern California | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| % Men | 33% | 39% | ||
| % Women | 67% | 61% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 45% | 30% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 36% | 42% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 6% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 5% |
Students |
Vanguard University of Southern California | California State University-San Marcos | ||
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| % In-State | 93% | 98% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 1% | ||
Campus |
Vanguard University of Southern California | 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 Vanguard University of Southern California based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 2,256 students)
Vanguard University of Southern California vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Vanguard University of Southern California or California State University-San Marcos?
- Vanguard University of Southern California is 561.8% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($38,000.00 vs. $5,742.00)
- Out of state tuition is 115.6% higher at Vanguard University of Southern California than California State University San Marcos ($38,000.00 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 Vanguard University of Southern California ($10,463 vs. $24,279)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Vanguard University of Southern California are 35.8% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($10,290 vs. $13,972)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Vanguard University of Southern California than California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 67%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Vanguard University of Southern California students is 224.1% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($28,914 vs. $8,922)
Vanguard University of Southern California vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Vanguard University of Southern California 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 Vanguard University of Southern California .
- The average SAT score at Vanguard University of Southern California (975) is 20 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (955)
- Incoming Vanguard University of Southern California 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 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at Vanguard University of Southern California (3.31)
- California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than Vanguard University of Southern California (74.8%)
Vanguard University of Southern California vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Vanguard University of Southern California 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 Vanguard University of Southern California.
- The graduation rate at Vanguard University of Southern California is higher than California State University San Marcos (55% vs. 49%)
- Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $5,900 more per year than Vanguard University of Southern California graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $43,200)
- California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $7,005 lower median federal student loan debt than Vanguard University of Southern California graduates. ($17,995 vs. $25,000)
- California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $72 less per month on federal student loans than Vanguard University of Southern California graduates. ($186 vs. $258)
- More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Vanguard University of Southern California students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/