California State University-San Marcos vs. SBBCollege

Comparable Facts

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

California State University San Marcos is larger than SBBCollege based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 350 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University San Marcos is located in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting); California Aeronautical University is in Bakersfield, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California Aeronautical University is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University San Marcos 24:1; California Aeronautical University 8:1.

California State University-San Marcos vs. SBBCollege Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California State University-San Marcos or SBBCollege? 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 SBBCollege ($10,241 vs. $34,836).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Aeronautical University are 37.5% lower than at California State University San Marcos ($8,850 vs. $14,152).
• California Aeronautical University is 366.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $29,585 more per year; $37,667.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 82.1% higher at SBBCollege than at California State University San Marcos (about $16,985 more per year; $37,667.00 vs. $20,682.00).
• The same share of students receive grant aid at California State University San Marcos as at California Aeronautical University (71% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California Aeronautical University students is 21.5% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($13,516 vs. $11,123).

California State University-San Marcos vs. SBBCollege Admissions comparison

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

• California Aeronautical University reports an open admissions policy.
• 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 - Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind); SBBCollege - not listed in this dataset.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.

California State University-San Marcos vs. SBBCollege Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

• Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn a median of about $15,400 more per year than SBBCollege graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,100 vs. $33,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $3,824 lower median loan debt than SBBCollege graduates ($17,995 vs. $21,819).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $39 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SBBCollege graduates ($186 vs. $225).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SBBCollege students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 29%)

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.