California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, CA 92096-0001
About California State University-San Marcos
California State University-San Marcos is a public research university in San Marcos, California, with about 14,877 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 95.10% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $62,908 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- California State University-San Marcos charges 47% above the national public median tuition ($8,082).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is at.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 54.56%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $62,908.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at California State University-San Marcos is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1437% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University-San Marcos | $8,082 | $10,229 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| California (state median) | $8,093 | $8,343 | 287 |
| Rural (locale median) | $14,160 | $18,700 | 1,649 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is California State University-San Marcos really?
Key findings
- California State University-San Marcos charges 47% above the national public median tuition ($8,082).
- Versus the California median, sticker tuition is at.
California State University-San Marcos tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $8,082
Finding California State University-San Marcos charges 47% above the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $8,082. That is 47% above the national public median ($5,512). Versus the California median ($8,093), sticker tuition is at. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 32% below.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at California State University-San Marcos versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at California State University-San Marcos versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at California State University-San Marcos is $10,229.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $10,229 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $1,886 above the California median net price. Versus rural campuses, net price runs $8,471 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At California State University-San Marcos, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
California State University-San Marcos: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for California State University-San Marcos—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$8,082
Out-of-state tuition
$20,682
Avg. net price
$10,229
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $6,230 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $7,240 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $8,928 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $12,525 |
| $110,001+ | $18,734 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $32,328. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What California State University-San Marcos is known for
Top program completions
- Business Administration and Management, General587
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse325
- Psychology, General318
- Sociology, General254
- Computer Science216
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 16% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is California State University-San Marcos a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
California State University-San Marcos is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for California State University-San Marcos.
Campus
Location
San Marcos, CA
City / state
- ZIP
- 92096-0001
- NCES locale
- Rural fringe
Compared with Rural campuses nationally, net price is about 0.5× the median for Rural campuses ($18,700 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Far West
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Size
Enrollment
14,877
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 16,371
- Graduate
- 1,260
- Full-time share
- 84%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$17,350
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 42.61%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for California State University-San Marcos.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at California State University-San Marcos was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for California State University-San Marcos in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $6,649 | $17,809 | $12,844 |
| 2014 | $7,169 | $18,329 | $9,736 |
| 2015 | $7,269 | $18,429 | $10,547 |
| 2016 | $7,383 | $18,543 | $9,451 |
| 2017 | $7,653 | $19,533 | $11,029 |
| 2018 | $7,713 | $19,593 | $12,872 |
| 2019 | $7,717 | $19,597 | $13,399 |
| 2020 | $7,712 | $19,592 | $13,218 |
| 2021 | $7,727 | $19,607 | $14,048 |
| 2022 | $7,733 | $19,613 | $10,774 |
| 2023 | $7,739 | $19,619 | $10,550 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
California State University-San Marcos reported total enrollment of about 14,877 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 43% male and 57% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Hispanic or Latino (51.5%), White (24.3%), and Asian (9.3%). About 42.61% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 48.3% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
83.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at California State University-San Marcos in 2024 is 14,877 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 16,371 students. Graduate enrollment is about 1,260 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
78.6%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
28.02% 100% Completion Time
54.56% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 28.02% of students graduating from California State University-San Marcos completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 59% male / 41% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 23% male / 77% female
- Psychology, General: 22% male / 78% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
California State University-San Marcos graduates earn a median of $62,908 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of California State University-San Marcos.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $62,908. Median federal loan debt: $17,350. Average net price used in cost models: $10,229.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway California State University-San Marcos graduates report median earnings of $62,908 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for California State University-San Marcos.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (50 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at California State University-San Marcos.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for California State University-San Marcos graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for California State University-San Marcos—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$33.5M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- California median 1.7× the median ($19.7M)
- Far West median 2.0× the median ($16.8M)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($26.4M)
- California median 0.34× the median ($7,407)
- Far West median 0.35× the median ($7,260)
- U.S. median 0.21× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 46.3%
- California median 7.0 pp above median (39.3%)
- Far West median 0.6 pp above median (45.7%)
- U.S. median 11.6 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $12,046
- California median 1.2× the median ($10,166)
- Far West median 1.3× the median ($9,635)
- U.S. median 1.6× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $8,419
- California median 1.3× the median ($6,474)
- Far West median 1.2× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 1.2× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
California State University-San Marcos at a glance
California State University-San Marcos
California State University-San Marcos is a public institution in San Marcos, CA, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralRegistered Nursing/Registered NursePsychology, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- Hispanic or Latino51.5%White or Caucasian24.3%Asian9.3%
Schools near California State University-San Marcos
Other campuses in San Marcos, CA when available, plus nearby institutions in California.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within California, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is California State University-San Marcos located?
California State University-San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA.
What is California State University-San Marcos's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at California State University-San Marcos is 95.1% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 17,519 applicants and 16,765 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is California State University-San Marcos's tuition?
California State University-San Marcos tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $8,082 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $10,229 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does California State University-San Marcos cost?
Reported tuition is $8,082 and average net price is $10,229 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $14,152 annually.
What explains California State University-San Marcos's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($10,229), completion (54.6% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($62,908). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at California State University-San Marcos?
California State University-San Marcos reports undergraduate enrollment of about 16,371 students, Hispanic or Latino (51.5%), White (24.3%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend California State University-San Marcos?
About 48.3% of students at California State University-San Marcos are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of California State University-San Marcos earn?
Median earnings are $48,673 six years after entry and $62,908 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos?
The 150%-time completion rate is 54.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do California State University-San Marcos students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $17,350.
Is California State University-San Marcos public or private?
California State University-San Marcos is a public institution located in San Marcos, CA.
Is California State University-San Marcos an HBCU?
No. California State University-San Marcos is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.