California State University San Marcos campus

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California State University-San Marcos Ratings and Reviews

  • 4/10 Overall Rating
  • 4 Year
  • San Marcos, CA
  • 4.0 1 review
#20 Best Public Universities in California
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California State University-San Marcos Ratings and Reviews

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Ratings

California State University-San Marcos is rated within the lower 37% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 4 out of 10.

  • Overall Rating
    4 out of 10
  • Academics
    3 out of 10
  • Resources
    3 out of 10
  • Outcomes
    7 out of 10
  • Value
    4 out of 10
Learn how ratings are calculated

Student Review Summary

4.0

Approved reviews

1 student review

1 out of 1 (100%) reviewers rated 4 stars or higher

Students rate Value for Money highest and Party and Bar Scene lowest.

Rating snapshot

  • 5 stars
    0
  • 4 stars
    1
  • 3 stars
    0
  • 2 stars
    0
  • 1 star
    0

Average by category

  • Overall Rating
    4.0
  • Academics
    3.0
  • Value for Money
    5.0
  • Professors / Faculty
    4.0
  • Campus Atmosphere
    3.0
  • Housing
    3.0
  • Campus Safety
    4.0
  • Student Life
    3.0
  • Party and Bar Scene
    2.0

Student and Parent Reviews

If you are a student, former student, faculty member or parent, please help guide other prospective students by sharing your personal experiences at this college. What is it really like to go to California State University San Marcos?

Apr 22, 2026
Rating 4 out of 5

The #1 university is the country for social mobility based on national rankings. 94% of our students have a career within 1 year of graduation.

Overall Rating
Academics
Value for Money
Professors / Faculty
Campus Atmosphere
Housing
Campus Safety
Dating and Social Life
Party and Bar Scene

Rate California State University San Marcos

Share your ratings for California State University-San Marcos across academics, campus life, and more to help prospective students understand what it's really like to attend.

Your Overall Experience *

If a friend asked whether California State University-San Marcos was worth it, what would your gut say?

Academics *

Did classes challenge you and leave you feeling like you actually learned something?

Value for Money *

Considering tuition, aid, and what you got out of it, did the cost feel justified?

Professors and Faculty *

Were instructors accessible, engaged, and invested in students or mostly going through the motions?

Campus Atmosphere *

Did the campus feel welcoming and full of energy, or more like a place you simply passed through?

Student Housing *

Were dorms and residence halls somewhere you'd want to live, or a constant source of frustration?

Campus Safety *

Did you feel comfortable walking around at night, or did safety ever weigh on your mind?

Student Life *

Was it easy to find your people, make friends, and stay socially connected?

Party and Bar Scene *

Do weekends have a pulse here, or does the social scene quiet down once classes end?

We will review your college review for suitability and publish it if approved. We reserve all rights to reject and edit reviews deemed incomplete, inappropriate or malicous or critical of individuals. By submitting this review you agree for it to be published on this website. Your full name will not be published.

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=366711.

Last updated: August 2026