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California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA · Public · Large suburb · CSUSM

Public institution in San Marcos, CA · 14,174 undergraduates · 96% acceptance rate · $62,908 median earnings 10 years after entry.

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Cost

Average net price
$10,550354th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
In-state tuition & fees
$7,739342nd cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Out-of-state tuition & fees
$19,619841st cheapest of 2,042 reporting
Cost of attendance
$21,144446th cheapest of 1,985 reporting
Median graduate debt
$17,350421st lowest of 1,880 reporting

Outcomes

Median earnings, 10 years after entry
$62,908441st highest of 1,969 reporting
Median earnings, 6 years after entry
$48,673611th highest of 1,964 reporting
Graduation rate (4-year)
54.2%993rd highest of 2,031 reporting
Full-time retention
74.8%994th highest of 1,853 reporting

Admissions

Acceptance rate
95.7%1,433rd most selective of 1,608 reporting
Average SAT
—
Median ACT
—

Campus

Undergraduates
14,174179th largest of 2,162 reporting
Student-faculty ratio
21.0:11,947th smallest of 2,159 reporting
Pell Grant share
43.6%569th highest of 2,140 reporting

Nearest large-hub airport: 28 mi (SAN)

On 2 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 44 reported programs.

FieldLevel1 yr2 yr
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professionsbachelors$87,520$88,074
PhysicsPhysical Sciencesbachelors$65,332$57,318
Computer Sciencebachelors$63,855$71,015
Accounting and Related ServicesBusinessbachelors$56,867$55,286
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Sciencebachelors$54,322$45,864
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusinessbachelors$52,822$49,520
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyBiological Sciencesbachelors$46,478$41,937
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusinessbachelors$46,025$43,601
BiotechnologyBiological Sciencesbachelors$45,500$41,565
Management Information Systems and ServicesBusinessbachelors$44,933—
International BusinessBusinessbachelors$42,682—
Business/Commerce, GeneralBusinessbachelors$41,565$44,170

Campus facts

Athletics — 7 sports

NCAA Division II without football · NCAA Division II

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $858,506 (M $409,256 · W $449,250)

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.