- The Inkwell
- California
- California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CASuburb: largeZIP 92096Founded 1989
- Sector
- Public
- Founded
- 1989
- Carnegie class
- Master's: larger programs
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Federal aid since
- 1990
- Website
- www.csusm.edu
CaliforniaPublic
California State University-San Marcos
California State University-San Marcos is a public university in San Marcos, California, with 14,877 undergraduates. It admits 95% of applicants, graduates 55% within six years and costs $10,939 a year after aid.
55%graduate
Admission rate95%
Retention79%
4-year graduation28%
Pell Grant share47%
Federal loans27%
$10,939net price / year
95%admission rate
—average SAT
55%graduate in 6 years
$67,217median earnings, 10 yrs
$16,000median debt
#474 of 1,704 for earnings#225 of 1,739 for lowest net price#852 of 1,738 for graduation rate#1,356 of 1,552 for selectivity
what it costs
Cost and net price
Net price is the average annual cost after grants and scholarships for full-time students who receive federal aid; it varies with family income.
Published cost
- Cost of attendance
- $23,131tuition, fees, housing, books, per year
- Tuition & fees, in-state
- $8,454
- Tuition & fees, out-of-state
- $21,774
- Average net price
- $10,939national median $19,980
Net price by family income
$0–30,000$7,618
$30,001–48,000$7,756
$48,001–75,000$9,457
$75,001–110,000$12,320
$110,001+$20,770
getting in
Admissions and test scores
Admission
- Admission rate
- 95%national median 77%
- Average SAT
- —
- SAT reading, middle 50%
- —
- SAT math, middle 50%
- —
- ACT composite, middle 50%
- —
Against the national median
Admission rate · this college95%
Admission rate · U.S. median77%
Retention · this college79%
Retention · U.S. median76%
Graduation · this college55%
Graduation · U.S. median55%
Pell share · this college47%
Pell share · U.S. median39%
after enrolling
Graduation, earnings and debt
Completion
- Graduation rate, 6 years
- 55%within 150% of normal time
- Graduation rate, 4 years
- 28%
- First-year retention
- 79%
- Award within 8 years, all students
- 68%
Earnings and debt
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $56,451
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $67,217middle 50%: $42,848–$95,456
- Median debt at graduation
- $16,000
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Earnings ten years after entry
Upper quarter$95,456
Median, California State University-San Marcos$67,217
Lower quarter$42,848
U.S. median, all colleges$58,886
Former students working and not enrolled · College Scorecard
who studies here
Students and faculty
Undergraduates
- Degree-seeking undergraduates
- 14,877
- Part-time
- 16%
- Women / men
- 58% / 42%
- Average age at entry
- 23.5
- First-generation students
- 48%
- Pell Grant recipients
- 47%
Faculty and resources
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- 24 : 1
- Full-time faculty
- 46%
- Average faculty salary
- $12,046 / month
- Instructional spending per student
- $8,419
- Endowment, end of year
- $36,560,347
Race and ethnicity, undergraduates
White24%
Hispanic52%
Black4.0%
Asian9.3%
Two or more races6.3%
U.S. nonresident0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.3%
Unknown3.0%
22 fields of study
Most popular fields
Share of bachelor’s degrees awarded, by broad field (CIP family).
Business & management18%
Social sciences17%
Health professions10%
Psychology9.0%
Parks, recreation & fitness7.1%
Biological & biomedical sciences6.5%
Computer & information sciences5.0%
Liberal arts & humanities4.8%
keep comparing
Similar colleges
Public colleges in California
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA | $3,946 | 53% | $61,951 |
| California State University-Chico Chico, CA | $14,157 | 60% | $70,012 |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA | $7,244 | 42% | $62,587 |
| University of California-Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | $18,549 | 74% | $73,362 |
| San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | $9,803 | 50% | $73,299 |
| California State University-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | $2,385 | 55% | $62,555 |
Same Carnegie class, similar price
| College | Net price | Grad. | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Xavier University Chicago, IL | $10,171 | 55% | $64,661 |
| American Public University System Charles Town, WV | $11,116 | 60% | $41,320 |
| Southern Utah University Cedar City, UT | $10,887 | 62% | $53,925 |
| Empire State University Saratoga Springs, NY | $11,131 | 48% | $59,509 |
| SUNY Polytechnic Institute Utica, NY | $12,893 | 56% | $73,261 |
| Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH | $9,161 | 53% | $46,691 |
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education — institution file, most recent cohorts. UNITID 366711. Founding year, motto and memberships: Wikidata Q624691.