California State University-San Marcos vs. Los Angeles College of Music

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA with Los Angeles College of Music in Pasadena, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University San Marcos is larger than Los Angeles College of Music based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 261 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Los Angeles College of Music is in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting).
• California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Los Angeles College of Music is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University San Marcos 24:1; Los Angeles College of Music 3:1.

California State University-San Marcos vs. Los Angeles College of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or Los Angeles College of Music? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than Los Angeles College of Music ($10,241 vs. $44,586).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 35.9% lower than at Los Angeles College of Music ($14,152 vs. $22,086).
• Los Angeles College of Music is 277.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $22,458 more per year; $30,540.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 47.7% higher at Los Angeles College of Music than at California State University San Marcos (about $9,858 more per year; $30,540.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Los Angeles College of Music than at California State University San Marcos (72% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 101.1% larger than aid received by Los Angeles College of Music students ($11,123 vs. $5,532).

California State University-San Marcos vs. Los Angeles College of Music Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-San Marcos or Los Angeles College of Music? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Los Angeles College of Music and California State University-San Marcos.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-San Marcos - Test-free; Los Angeles College of Music - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than Los Angeles College of Music (87.7%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at California State University-San Marcos vs. 18.1% at Los Angeles College of Music.

California State University-San Marcos vs. Los Angeles College of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-San Marcos and Los Angeles College of Music? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Los Angeles College of Music students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 49%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.