Cleveland State vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

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

California State University San Marcos is larger than Cleveland State based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 14,074 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cleveland State University is located in Cleveland, OH (Large City setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• Cleveland State University 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: Cleveland State University 16:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

Cleveland State vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cleveland State or California State University-San Marcos? 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 Cleveland State ($10,241 vs. $16,230).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 6.3% lower than at Cleveland State University ($14,152 vs. $15,104).
• Cleveland State University is 60.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $4,906 more per year; $12,988.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.7% higher at California State University-San Marcos than at Cleveland State University (about $2,172 more per year; $20,682.00 vs. $18,510.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cleveland State University than at California State University San Marcos (90% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 13.6% larger than aid received by Cleveland State University students ($11,123 vs. $9,795).

Cleveland State vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

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

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at California State University San Marcos (1040) is 30 points higher than at Cleveland State (1010).
• Incoming Cleveland State students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (21 vs. 19 at California State University-San Marcos).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Cleveland State University 880/1130; California State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Cleveland State University 18/25; California State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cleveland State - Test-free; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cleveland State Aug 15, 2027; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at Cleveland State (3.31).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than Cleveland State (91.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.7% at Cleveland State vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

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

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

• California State University San Marcos's six-year graduation rate (49%) is higher than Cleveland State University's (30%).
• Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn a median of about $4,900 more per year than Cleveland State graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,100 vs. $44,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $3,505 lower median loan debt than Cleveland State graduates ($17,995 vs. $21,500).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $36 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cleveland State graduates ($186 vs. $222).
• More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cleveland State students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 47%)

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.