West vs. California State University-San Marcos

Should I go to Western International University or California State University San Marcos? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if West 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Western International University vs. California State University San Marcos comparison
Western International University California State University San Marcos College 3 College 4
California State University San Marcos
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

West California State University-San Marcos
Location Phoenix, AZ San Marcos, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 905 15,109
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #836
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status For-profit Non-profit
Website west.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

West California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $6,000 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $6,000 $17,622
Room & Board $2,160 $13,972
Avg Net Price $5,911 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $5,419 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 20% 67%

Admission

West California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 14,774
Admitted - 14,064
Acceptance Rate Open 95.2%
Enrolled % Open 18.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.32
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22
SAT Range 950/1130
Submit Test Scores Not applicable Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024

Academics

West California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 0:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (80%)
  • General Studies (11%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Legal Professions (1%)
  • Social Sciences (1%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

West California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 2% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,100 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,438 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $273 $186

Diversity

West California State University-San Marcos
% Men 0% 39%
% Women 0% 61%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 50% 30%
% Black 14% 3%
% Hispanic 15% 42%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 6%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 16% 5%

Students

West California State University-San Marcos
% In-State - 98%
% Out-of-State - 1%

Campus

West California State University-San Marcos
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No 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 West based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 905 students)

West vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

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

  • Western International University is 4.5% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($6,000.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 193.7% higher at California State University-San Marcos than Western International University ($17,622.00 vs. $6,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western International University than California State University-San Marcos ($5,911 vs. $10,463)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Western International University are 546.9% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($2,160 vs. $13,972)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University San Marcos than Western International University (67% vs. 20%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 64.6% larger than aid received Western International University ($8,922 vs. $5,419)

Which college is harder to get into, West 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 West .

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

Which is better, West 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 West.

  • The graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos is higher than Western International University (49% vs. 2%)
  • Graduates from Western International University earn on average $4,000 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates after ten years. ($53,100 vs. $49,100)
  • California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $8,443 lower median federal student loan debt than West graduates. ($17,995 vs. $26,438)
  • California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $87 less per month on federal student loans than West graduates. ($186 vs. $273)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former West students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 38%)

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