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San Marcos , CA
California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM) is a public university located in San Marcos, California. Established in 1989, CSUSM is a member of the California State University system and is known for its commitment to providing an excellent education and a supportive learning environment. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with a focus on the liberal arts, sciences, business, and education.
CSUSM is renowned for its strong emphasis on experiential learning and community engagement. The university offers numerous opportunities for students to gain practical experience and apply their knowledge in real-world settings through internships, service learning, and research projects. The university's location in North San Diego County also provides a wealth of resources for students, with nearby technology and biotech industries offering additional learning and employment opportunities.
The campus at CSUSM is a lively and vibrant community, known for its inclusive and diverse student body. The university strives to foster a supportive and inclusive environment for all students, where they can thrive academically and personally. CSUSM also offers a multitude of resources and services to support student success, including academic advising, career counseling, tutoring, and wellness programs. With its beautiful campus, engaged faculty, and commitment to student success, CSUSM provides a rich and rewarding educational experience for its students.
California State University, San Marcos is a public four-year college located in San Marcos, CA. This educational institution operates on a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 95%. The freshman retention rate at California State University, San Marcos is 78.4% and the six-year graduation rate is 55%.
The freshmen application deadline for this school is January 31. Read more about what California State University, San Marcos has to offer based on the most recent data this institution has reported.
Quick Facts
14,977
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
24:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
55%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
You need to learn as much as you can about the entrance requirements of the institution in order to increase your chances of being accepted. What are the admission requirements for California State University, San Marcos?
In 2025, the school accepted 18,755 new students. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is relatively noncompetitive.
Test Scores
3.5% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 0.8% submitted ACT scores, out of the total number of those who submitted test scores. 10% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between between 1,200 and 1,399, 35% between 1,000 and 1,199, 41% of the students between 800 and 999, 13% between 600 and 799, and 1% of the students between 400 and 599. The percent of first-year students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 5, 15 between 24-29, 65 in the range between 18-23, and 15 between 12-17.
The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 3.34. Therefore, the chances are that you'll need a GPA higher than the average for acceptance,.
Deadlines
The final day for applications to California State University, San Marcos is January 31.
Retention Rate
The percentage of freshmen at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. Why is that metric important? Because it tells you if the majority of freshmen enjoyed their first year at a school enough to come back.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for California State University, San Marcos was 78.4%, a reflection of the high standards and excellent educational experience at this school.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. It provides valuable insight into the percentage of students who complete their studies within a designated timeframe. The six-year graduation rate at this school is 55%.
Student Body
Picking a school that is the best match for you is not a simple task. Obtaining a better insight into a school's student body helps you learn more about its culture and life.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the institution had an enrollment of 16,237 students.
That year, the school had an out-of-state student body percentage of 1. There was a total of 14,977 students pursuing undergraduate degrees, including 122 international students. 2,160 students were admitted as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
With a coeducational student body, the school had 5,481 male and 7,896 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
Higher Education is dedicated to increasing student diversity and enhancing students' feelings of inclusion and belonging. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
This school had 1,385 Asian students and 598 Afro-American students in 2025. 7,667 students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 942 identified with more than one race. The school also had 46 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 44 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 453 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Financial planning for school is one of the most important things to think about before you apply. Here are some details you should know about the expenses at California State University, San Marcos that the majority of students face.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about California State University, San Marcos estimated tuition price.
According to the reports from public county and municipal institutions, tuition fees were $6,450 for area residents. Tuition fees were $16,530 for students coming from a different state. If you are an international student at California State University, San Marcos, you should know that the 2025 tuition was $16,530, as well. Fees per academic year required of full-time students amounted to $2,004 in 2025.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $16,530 | $2,004 | $18,534 |
| In-State | $6,450 | $2,004 | $8,454 |
Books and Supplies
The approximate cost of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into consideration as another significant expense. The approximate expense of books and supplies for a full-time student of this school is $1,086.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. What do schools typically charge for room and board?
In 2025, the price of room and board at California State University, San Marcos was $15,320 per academic year. Room-only (on campus) cost per academic year at this school came to $11,784, according to the data from 2025.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 6,450 |
| Room and Board | $ 15,320 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,086 |
| Total Expense | $ 22,856 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial support: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. If you want to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at California State University, San Marcos, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 1,511 freshmen. Students of this school received an average of $13,022 in financial help.
Need-based
Need-based aid is financial aid that a student can receive if they are determened to have financial need and meet other eligibility criteria.
There were 7,494 students who acquired need-based financial aid of any kind. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at California State University, San Marcos is available to international students. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was estimated to be 7,801. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution totaled $43,400,187, and state $37,577,001. The students of California State University, San Marcos received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $18,744,365, and external in the amount of $1,037,882.
$3,617
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based financial aid is any type of financial aid provided to a student who does not meet the criteria for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
170 students, including freshmen, received institutional non-need-based financial aid at this institution in 2025. Institutional grants or scholarships that are not based on financial need were given to 36 full-time freshman. Federal non-need-based scholarships and grants totaled $43,400,187 for students at this institution, while state aid came to $42,578. The total amount of non-need-based institutional scholarships/grants was $158,223. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $229,709 USD.
Majors
Faculty
24:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty or student-to-professor ratio represents the number of students compared to the number of professors at a school.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at California State University, San Marcos was 24:1: that means 24 students per one teacher. According to the most recent information, there are 921 faculty members at this school. Out of that number, there were 369 men and 552 women. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at California State University, San Marcos.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at California State University, San Marcos is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Check out some details about campus life at California State University, San Marcos.
Its campus is 304 acres in size.
Student Organizations
A student organization is run by students at a university or a college institution, whose membership typically consists only of current students and/or alumni.
There are 186 student organizations and groups with open membership at this school. That includes sororities and fraternities. 4 percent of male and 5 of female students are participants in different organizations at California State University, San Marcos. The most popular student organization is Marketing Society, followed by Psychology Student Organization and Anime & Gaming Club. Other popular student organizations at this school are Pre-Health Society and Minecraft Club.
If the world of acting appeals to you, there is a drama club you can join. For students looking to explore media and communication, California State University, San Marcos publishes its own newspaper.
Student Services
At California State University, San Marcos, there are many amenities that make life on campus pleasant and safe.
24/7 emergency phone and alarm devices are available. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a security patrol available 24/7. The transport/escort service operates during late hours.
This school has a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Legal Services, Veteran's Affairs and Women's Center are available to the students of California State University, San Marcos.
All in all, campus life at California State University, San Marcos is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at California State University, San Marcos.
Career Counselling
At California State University, San Marcos, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be excellent for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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California State University, San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA.
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California State University, San Marcos offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
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The most recent reported acceptance rate for California State University, San Marcos is 95%.
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The most recent reported freshman retention rate for California State University, San Marcos is 78.4%.
Contact Information
California State University - San Marcos
333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road
San Marcos , CA
92096
760 750-4000
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.