California State University-San Marcos vs. Purdue Northwest

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA with Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, Indiana on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University San Marcos is larger than Purdue Northwest based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 9,051 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting); Purdue University Northwest is in Hammond, Indiana (Large Suburban setting).
• California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Purdue University Northwest is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University San Marcos 24:1; Purdue University Northwest 17:1.

California State University-San Marcos vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or Purdue Northwest? 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 Purdue University Northwest than California State University-San Marcos ($7,916 vs. $10,241).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 37.1% lower than at California State University San Marcos ($8,907 vs. $14,152).
• Purdue University Northwest is 7.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $593 more per year; $8,675.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 28.5% higher at California State University-San Marcos than at Purdue University Northwest (about $4,588 more per year; $20,682.00 vs. $16,094.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Purdue University Northwest than at California State University San Marcos (89% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 59.1% larger than aid received by Purdue University Northwest students ($11,123 vs. $6,992).

California State University-San Marcos vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California State University-San Marcos or Purdue Northwest? 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 Purdue Northwest and California State University-San Marcos.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at California State University San Marcos (1040) is 20 points higher than at Purdue Northwest (1020).
• Incoming Purdue Northwest students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (20 vs. 19 at California State University-San Marcos).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Marcos 950/1130; Purdue University Northwest 890/1140.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: California State University San Marcos 17/22; Purdue University Northwest 16/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California State University-San Marcos - Test-free; Purdue Northwest - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026; Purdue Northwest Aug 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at Purdue Northwest (3.19).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than Purdue Northwest (72.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 14% at California State University-San Marcos vs. 18.3% at Purdue Northwest.

California State University-San Marcos vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California State University-San Marcos and Purdue Northwest? 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).

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.