California State University-San Marcos vs. Oak Valley College

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA with Oak Valley College in Rialto, California on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the tables above.

California State University San Marcos is larger than Oak Valley College based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 75 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Oak Valley College is in Rialto, California (Large Suburban setting).
• California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Oak Valley College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University San Marcos 24:1; Oak Valley College 7:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oak Valley College are 21.9% lower than at California State University San Marcos ($11,054 vs. $14,152).
• Out-of-state tuition is 16.9% higher at Oak Valley College than at California State University San Marcos (about $3,498 more per year; $24,180 vs. $20,682).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Oak Valley College than at California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Oak Valley College students is 15% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($12,791 vs. $11,123).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at California State University-San Marcos, open admission at Oak Valley College.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.

Loans and repayment

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS and College Scorecard. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.