MiraCosta College vs. California State University-San Marcos

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

MiraCosta College California State University-San Marcos
Location Oceanside, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 10,860 15,109
Type Public 2 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #836
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website miracosta.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

MiraCosta College California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $1,104 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $8,400 $17,622
Room & Board $22,572 $13,972
Avg Net Price $7,281 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $5,222 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 67%

Admission

MiraCosta College 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 - 3.32
Typical High School Grades - 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

MiraCosta College California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (36%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (4%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

MiraCosta College California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate - 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $33,000 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $4,500 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $46 $186

Diversity

MiraCosta College California State University-San Marcos
% Men 41% 39%
% Women 59% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 30%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 36% 42%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 6%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

MiraCosta College California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 94% 98%
% Out-of-State 0% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University San Marcos is larger than than MiraCosta College based on total student enrollment (15,109 students vs. 10,860 students)

MiraCosta College vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

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

  • California State University San Marcos is 420.1% more expensive to attend than MiraCosta College for in-state tuition ($5,742.00 vs. $1,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.8% higher at California State University-San Marcos than MiraCosta College ($17,622.00 vs. $8,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at MiraCosta College than California State University-San Marcos ($7,281 vs. $10,463)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 61.6% lower than costs at MiraCosta College ($13,972 vs. $22,572)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at MiraCosta College than California State University San Marcos (74% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 70.9% larger than aid received MiraCosta College ($8,922 vs. $5,222)

Which college is harder to get into, MiraCosta College 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 MiraCosta College .

MiraCosta College vs. California State University-San Marcos Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, MiraCosta College 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 MiraCosta College.

  • Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $16,100 more per year than MiraCosta College graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $33,000)
  • MiraCosta College students graduate with a $13,495 lower median federal student loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($4,500 vs. $17,995)
  • MiraCosta College graduates are paying $140 less per month on federal student loans than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($46 vs. $186)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MiraCosta College students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 46%)

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