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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.
Located in San Marcos, CA, California State University, San Marcos is a public four-year college. 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
If you know as much as possible about the school's criteria for admission, you can make a better judgment about your eligibility and boost your chances of getting accepted. What are the admission requirements for California State University, San Marcos?
In 2025, the school accepted 18,755 new students. As far as admission difficulty is considered, 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 overall number of those who submitted test scores. 10% of the freshmen submitted SAT composite scores between between 1,200 and 1,399, 35% between 1,000 and 1,199, 41% between 800 and 999, 13% of the students between 600 and 799, and 1% between 400 and 599. The percent of freshmen 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. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into California State University, San Marcos.
Deadlines
Be sure to apply to this school by January 31.
Retention Rate
What is the freshman retention rate? The freshman retention rate is the percentage of full-time students who entered the institution as freshmen in the previous academic year and returned for the fall term of the current academic year. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for California State University, San Marcos was 78.4%, a testament to the outstanding educational experience provided by this institution.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This metric measures how efficiently students complete their degrees within a specific time period. The six-year completion rate at this institution is 55%.
Student Body
Deciding if a school is the best fit for you is not an easy task. Knowing more about the student population can help you get a better understanding of the school's culture and life.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the school had an enrollment of 16,237 students.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 1% for that year. There was a total of 14,977 undergraduate students, including 122 international students. The number of transfer students at this school was 2,160.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 5,481 male and 7,896 female full-time students in 2025, which speaks volumes for gender equality at this institution.
Student Population Diversity
In order to promote a sense of inclusion and belonging among its students, higher education is dedicated to increasing student diversity. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Find out more about different ethnic groups you can meet at California State University, San Marcos.
In 2025, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 1,385, while the number of Black American students was 598. 7,667 students at this school declared as Hispanic/Latino and 942 as multirace. The school also had 46 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 44 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 453 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before sending an application to any college or university, the financial component should be taken into account. Here are some details you should know about the cost of attendance for California State University, San Marcos.
Tuition and Fees
If you were wondering how much the tuition cost for California State University, San Marcos is, here are some recent data that will come in handy.
Tuition fees for area resident were $6,084, as reported by public county or municipal institutions. Tuition fees were $16,164 for students coming from a different state. For the students coming from abroad, tuition at this school was $16,164, as well. Fees per academic year required of full-time students totaled $1,998 in 2025.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $16,164 | $1,998 | $18,162 |
| In-State | $6,084 | $1,998 | $8,082 |
Books and Supplies
When you try to estimate the cost of attendance for a college or university, you need to take into account the cost of books and supplies you're going to need. Most students have to give about $1,060 for books and supplies during their time at California State University, San Marcos.
Boarding
The cost of dorm rooms and meals in the school's cafeteria is for sure something to take into consideration. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for room and board?
The cost of room and board (on campus) per academic year at California State University, San Marcos was $14,152 in 2025. The cost of a dorm room only at this school in 2025 came to $11,208 for one academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 6,084 |
| Room and Board | $ 14,152 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,060 |
| Total Expense | $ 21,296 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial help: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. Check out some recent data to get the information about need-based and non-need-based monetary aid at California State University, San Marcos.
The most recent records show that 1,511 freshmen received some sort of financial help. Students of this school received an average of $13,022 in financial help.
Need-based
If you need help with paying for your studies and you meet other eligibility requirements, you may be eligible for need-based aid.
7,494 students gained some form of need-based financial aid. 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 amounted to 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 aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. The most popular forms of non-need-based financial aid for students are loans and grants, like Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 170 students overall (including freshmen) at California State University, San Marcos in 2025. 36 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total dollar amount of federal non-need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the studens at this school was $43,400,187 while the state aid is $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. $229,709 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Majors
Faculty
24:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty ratio can tell you a lot about the teaching resources a school provides for its students.
In 2025, this ratio at California State University, San Marcos was 24:1. That means that there were 24 times more students than teachers at this school. The faculty of this school consists of 921 members, according to the most recent data reported. This number included 369 male and 552 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at California State University, San Marcos.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Find out some information about campus life at California State University, San Marcos.
Its campus spans 304 acres.
Student Organizations
Being a member of a student organization will make you connect better with your fellow students and enjoy your college years more.
This school has 186 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. This number includes sororities and fraternities. At this school, 4% of male students are members of social organizations, while that percentage is 5 for female students. The student organization that gathers the largest number of students 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.
For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. For students looking to explore media and communication, California State University, San Marcos publishes its own newspaper.
Student Services
California State University, San Marcos provides a number of services necessary for a pleasant and safe life on campus.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. There are electronically operated dormitory entrances. There is a security patrol that operates around the clock. Theer is a nighttime transportation/escort service.
There is 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 everything most students need.
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. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be a great asset 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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According to the latest information, the acceptance rate for California State University, San Marcos is 95%.
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According to the latest information, the 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.
