California State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, California
- Public
- Suburb
- 14,877 undergrads
- Admit rate
- 95%Source: College Scorecard
- Average net price
- $10,939per year, after grantsSource: College Scorecard
- Graduation rate
- 55%within 6 yearsSource: College Scorecard
- Median earnings
- $67,21710 years after startingSource: College Scorecard
What's special
Under The Alliance, students meeting specified criteria in partner school district agreements receive guaranteed admission to CSUSM.
Getting in
- Admit rate
- 95%About 10 in 10 applicants get in.Source: College Scorecard
- Test policy
- Test-blindScores are not considered, even if you send them.Source: College Scorecard
- SAT (middle 50%)
- Not reportedSource: College Scorecard
- ACT (middle 50%)
- Not reportedSource: College Scorecard
From California State University-San Marcos's own report
These numbers come from the school's Common Data Set for 2025–26, a standard report colleges publish about their applicants and first-year students. Open the report.
20% had a 3.75 or higher. The average was 3.32. Schools count GPA differently (weighted or not), so compare ranges loosely.
- Admit rate in this report
- 95%19,864 admitted of 20,881 first-year applicants
- SAT, middle 50%
- 860–1113First-years who sent scores
- Top 10% of their class
- 18%22% were in the top quarter. Based on the 1% whose school ranks.
Where you'd stand
Enter your numbers to see where they'd fall among California State University-San Marcos's first-year students. This isn't a prediction: it shows how you compare with students who enrolled, using the sources linked below.
Leave out anything you don't have. Your numbers stay in this browser and fill in on other school pages. See my list
Sources: California State University-San Marcos Common Data Set 2025–26. Test ranges describe enrolled students who sent scores.
What it really costs
Most families pay less than the sticker price. Net price is what's left after grants and scholarships.
- Average net price
- $10,939full-time first-years who got grant aidSource: College Scorecard
- Total cost of attendance
- $23,131sticker price incl. housing, per yearSource: College Scorecard
- Tuition, in-state
- $8,454Source: College Scorecard
- Tuition, out-of-state
- $21,774Source: College Scorecard
After you enroll
- Graduation rate
- 55%first-time, full-time students finishing within 6 yearsSource: College Scorecard
- Came back for year two
- 79%full-time first-year studentsSource: College Scorecard
- Median earnings
- $67,21710 years after starting, for students who got federal aidSource: College Scorecard
- Median debt at graduation
- $16,000federal loans, students who finishedSource: College Scorecard
Students
- Undergraduates
- 14,877Source: College Scorecard
- Receive Pell grants
- 47%a sign of economic diversitySource: College Scorecard
- First-generation students
- 48%parents didn't go beyond high schoolSource: College Scorecard
Similar schools
Also worth a look
- San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA — admits 96%
- California State University-Chico Chico, CA — admits 93%
- California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA — admits 93%
- California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA — admits 94%
- University of California-Merced Merced, CA — admits 91%
- California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA — admits 94%
Where these numbers come from
Every number on this page comes from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard page for California State University-San Marcos, which draws on what the school reports to the federal government and on federal student aid and tax records. We last pulled the data on November 4, 2026. Different measures cover different years; here's how each one works.
Spot something wrong? Report a data error.