CSU Stanislaus vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

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

California State University San Marcos is larger than CSU Stanislaus based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 9,724 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Stanislaus is located in Turlock, CA (Small Suburban setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• California State University Stanislaus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Stanislaus 18:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

Cost details

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Stanislaus are 7.2% lower than at California State University San Marcos ($13,126 vs. $14,152).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.8% higher at CSU Stanislaus than at California State University San Marcos (about $164 more per year; $20,846 vs. $20,682).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Stanislaus than at California State University San Marcos (86% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Stanislaus students is 12.3% larger than aid received by California State University San Marcos students ($12,492 vs. $11,123).

Admissions details

• SAT or ACT scores are test-free at both CSU Stanislaus and California State University-San Marcos.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSU Stanislaus Nov 30, 2026; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Enrolled first-year students at CSU Stanislaus average a 3.47 high school GPA, 0.15 higher than at California State University-San Marcos (3.32).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.1% at CSU Stanislaus vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

Loans and repayment

• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Stanislaus graduates have a $2,995 lower median loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($15,000 vs. $17,995).
• Among borrowers, CSU Stanislaus graduates have an estimated $31 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California State University-San Marcos graduates ($155 vs. $186).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Stanislaus students, three years after graduation (66% vs. 64%).

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