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California State University-San Marcos

California State University-San Marcos is a large, public institution located in San Marcos, ca. Founded in 1990, California State University-San Marcos offers undergraduate degrees in 84 majors.

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Key stats

college-type 4 Year, Public
athletics Division 1
undergraduates 13,844 undergraduates
cost $7,733 undergraduate tuition
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Admissions Academics Annual tuition & cost Ways to pay Students Campus life FAQs

Admissions

Will I get into California State University-San Marcos? Here’s what we know about who has! SAT/ACT scores are neither required nor recommended to apply. Check here for college application deadline info or visit the school’s website.

Acceptance rate 95.2%
SAT score average N/A
ACT score average N/A
Average high school GPA 3.4
Application fee $70
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Key deadlines

June
30
66 days away FAFSA® deadline

Apply ASAP. A lot of aid is first come, first served!

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Academics

The degree program or major you pursue is major! California State University-San Marcos is known for one of its top majors: Business Administration, Management and Operations. Their student-faculty ratio is 23:1.

Graduation rate
Retention Rate
23 :1
Student to faculty ratio

Popular degree programs

Business and Management
Social Sciences and Psychology
Health and Medical Professions
Arts, Design, and Humanities
Natural Sciences and Environmental Studies
Computer Science and Information Technology
Education and Teaching

Popular majors

Business Administration, Management and Operations
Psychology, General
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Sociology
Criminology
Communication and Media Studies
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services

Annual tuition & cost

In state

Undergraduate tuition $7,733
Additional expenses
Room & board $13,972
Books & supplies $1,144
Other expenses $2,658
Cost of attendance* $25,507
Average financial aid package $11,933
Estimated cost $13,574 See my potential costs

Out of state

Undergraduate tuition $19,613
Additional expenses
Room & board $13,972
Books & supplies $1,144
Other expenses $2,658
Cost of attendance* $37,387
Average financial aid package $11,933
Estimated cost $25,454 See my potential costs

June 30 FAFSA® deadline

Submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is the only way to see if you qualify for financial aid.  

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*Cost of attendance is the average expenses including tuition, room, board and other estimated living expenses.

Student population

Who’s going to be there? California State University-San Marcos has a total undergraduate enrollment of 13,844, with gender binary students split 40% male and 60% female.

Total enrollment

15,426

Enrollment by gender

Male
Female

Enrollment & ethnicity

White %
22%
African American %
4%
Hispanic American %
47%
Asian %
8%
Native American %
0%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander %
0%
Multiracial %
5%
Unknown %
14%

Student type

Full-time
Living on campus
International

Campus life

Find your people & try new things

At California State University-San Marcos, student athletes compete in Division 1 sports.

Campus info

map 333 S Twin Oaks Valley Rd, San Marcos, CA 92096-0001
phone 760-750-7273
address www.csusm.edu/
announcement

Athletics

NCAA Division levelDivision 1
Varsity sportsYes
Intramural sportsYes
greek-life

Greek life

Female
Male

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to common questions about California State University-San Marcos to help you figure out where you want to apply.

Where is California State University-San Marcos?

California State University-San Marcos is located in San Marcos, ca.

What is the acceptance rate at California State University-San Marcos? 

The acceptance rate for California State University-San Marcos is 95%.

What’s the average GPA for California State University-San Marcos?

The average high school GPA for California State University-San Marcos students was 3.4.

How much does it cost for 4 years at California State University-San Marcos?  

The estimated cost for 4 years at California State University-San Marcos including tuition, room and board, and books and other fees is $102,028.

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SLM Education Services, LLC does not provide, and these materials are not meant to convey, financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult your own financial advisor, tax advisor, or attorney about your specific circumstances.

FAFSA® is a registered service mark of U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid.

Certain content is referenced from Peterson’s Data 2024.

N/A means the information was not available or reported.