La Sierra University vs. California State University-San Marcos

Should I go to La Sierra University or California State University San Marcos? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if La Sierra University 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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La Sierra University vs. California State University San Marcos comparison
La Sierra University California State University San Marcos College 3 College 4
California State University San Marcos
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Overview

La Sierra University California State University-San Marcos
Location Riverside, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,614 15,109
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #645 #836
Religious Affiliation Seventh Day Adventists - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website lasierra.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

La Sierra University California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $33,912 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $33,912 $17,622
Room & Board $11,325 $13,972
Avg Net Price $25,076 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $21,867 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 67%

Admission

La Sierra University California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,878 14,774
Admitted 1,725 14,064
Acceptance Rate 91.9% 95.2%
Enrolled % 19.1% 18.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.32
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/28 17/22
SAT Range 880/1140 950/1130
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023

Academics

La Sierra University California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (24%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

La Sierra University California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 32% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,900 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $30,000 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $310 $186

Diversity

La Sierra University California State University-San Marcos
% Men 40% 39%
% Women 60% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 14% 30%
% Black 6% 3%
% Hispanic 48% 42%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 2% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 11% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

La Sierra University California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 84% 98%
% Out-of-State 9% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University San Marcos is larger than than La Sierra University based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 1,614 students)

La Sierra University vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

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

  • La Sierra University is 490.6% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($33,912.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 92.4% higher at La Sierra University than California State University San Marcos ($33,912.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than La Sierra University ($10,463 vs. $25,076)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at La Sierra University are 23.4% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($11,325 vs. $13,972)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at La Sierra University than California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by La Sierra University students is 145.1% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($21,867 vs. $8,922)

La Sierra University vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, La Sierra University 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 La Sierra University .

  • The average SAT score at California State University San Marcos (955) is 26 points higher than at La Sierra University (929)
  • Incoming California State University-San Marcos students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at La Sierra University (19)
  • Accepted freshman La Sierra University students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)
  • California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.2%) than La Sierra University (91.9%)

La Sierra University vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, La Sierra University 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 La Sierra University.

  • The graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos is higher than La Sierra University (49% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from La Sierra University earn on average $2,800 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates after ten years. ($51,900 vs. $49,100)
  • California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $12,005 lower median federal student loan debt than La Sierra University graduates. ($17,995 vs. $30,000)
  • California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than La Sierra University graduates. ($186 vs. $310)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former La Sierra University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 52%)

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