DSC vs. California State University-San Marcos

Should I go to Dixie State College of Utah or California State University San Marcos? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if DSC or California State University-San Marcos is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Dixie State College of Utah vs. California State University San Marcos comparison
Dixie State College of Utah California State University San Marcos College 3 College 4
Dixie State College of Utah California State University San Marcos
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Overview

DSC California State University-San Marcos
Location Saint George, UT San Marcos, CA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 12,556 15,109
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #836
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website dixie.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

DSC California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $5,266 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $16,836 $17,622
Room & Board $7,384 $13,972
Avg Net Price $14,589 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $6,946 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 67%

Admission

DSC California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 14,774
Admitted - 14,064
Acceptance Rate Open 95.2%
Enrolled % Open 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.32
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/22
SAT Range 950/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

DSC California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (43%)
  • Health Professions (34%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (3%)
  • General Studies (3%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

DSC California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate - 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,625 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $171 $186

Diversity

DSC California State University-San Marcos
% Men 42% 39%
% Women 58% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 30%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 42%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

DSC California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 70% 98%
% Out-of-State 29% 1%

Campus

DSC California State University-San Marcos
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University San Marcos is larger than than DSC based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 12,556 students)

DSC vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DSC or California State University-San Marcos?

  • California State University San Marcos is 9% more expensive to attend than DSC for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $5,266.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.7% higher at California State University-San Marcos than Dixie State College of Utah ($17,622.00 vs. $16,836.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than DSC ($10,463 vs. $14,589)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dixie State College of Utah are 89.2% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($7,384 vs. $13,972)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dixie State College of Utah than California State University San Marcos (96% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 28.4% larger than aid received Dixie State College of Utah ($8,922 vs. $6,946)

Which college is harder to get into, DSC or California State University-San Marcos? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between California State University-San Marcos or DSC .

  • Accepted freshman DSC students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)

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

Which is better, DSC or California State University-San Marcos? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between California State University-San Marcos and DSC.

  • Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $9,500 more per year than DSC graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $39,600)
  • Dixie State College of Utah students graduate with a $1,370 lower median federal student loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($16,625 vs. $17,995)
  • DSC graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($171 vs. $186)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former DSC students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 49%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/