CSU Bakersfield vs. California State University-San Marcos

Should I go to California State University Bakersfield or California State University San Marcos? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU Bakersfield or California State University-San Marcos is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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California State University Bakersfield vs. California State University San Marcos comparison
California State University Bakersfield California State University San Marcos College 3 College 4
California State University Bakersfield California State University San Marcos
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Overview

CSU Bakersfield California State University-San Marcos
Location Bakersfield, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 9,613 15,109
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #836
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csub.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU Bakersfield California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $17,622
Room & Board $14,230 $13,972
Avg Net Price $7,521 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $10,750 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 67%

Admission

CSU Bakersfield California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,834 14,774
Admitted 11,973 14,064
Acceptance Rate 86.5% 95.2%
Enrolled % 9.2% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA - 3.32
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22
SAT Range 950/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2023 Nov 30, 2023

Academics

CSU Bakersfield California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

CSU Bakersfield California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 41% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,168 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $136 $186

Diversity

CSU Bakersfield California State University-San Marcos
% Men 33% 39%
% Women 67% 61%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 20% 30%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 54% 42%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

CSU Bakersfield California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 96% 98%
% Out-of-State 1% 1%

Campus

CSU Bakersfield California State University-San Marcos
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University San Marcos is larger than than CSU Bakersfield based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 9,613 students)

CSU Bakersfield vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU Bakersfield or California State University-San Marcos?

  • California State University Bakersfield and California State University-San Marcos cost the same to attend based on in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is the same at CSU Bakersfield as California State University San Marcos ($17,622.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Bakersfield than California State University-San Marcos ($7,521 vs. $10,463)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 1.8% lower than costs at California State University Bakersfield ($13,972 vs. $14,230)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at California State University Bakersfield than California State University San Marcos (88% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Bakersfield students is 20.5% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($10,750 vs. $8,922)

CSU Bakersfield vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU Bakersfield or California State University-San Marcos? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between California State University-San Marcos or CSU Bakersfield .

  • California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than CSU Bakersfield (86.5%)

CSU Bakersfield vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU Bakersfield or California State University-San Marcos? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between California State University-San Marcos and CSU Bakersfield.

  • The graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos is higher than California State University Bakersfield (49% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $800 more per year than CSU Bakersfield graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $48,300)
  • California State University Bakersfield students graduate with a $4,827 lower median federal student loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($13,168 vs. $17,995)
  • CSU Bakersfield graduates are paying $50 less per month on federal student loans than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($136 vs. $186)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Bakersfield students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/