National University vs. California State University-San Marcos

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

National University California State University-San Marcos
Location San Diego, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 18,631 15,109
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #836
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nu.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

National University California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $13,320 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $13,320 $17,622
Room & Board $17,784 $13,972
Avg Net Price $30,527 $10,463
Avg Grant Aid $5,932 $8,922
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 67%

Admission

National University 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

National University California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 23:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

National University California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate - 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,900 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 50% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,642 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $296 $186

Diversity

National University California State University-San Marcos
% Men 37% 39%
% Women 63% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 38% 30%
% Black 11% 3%
% Hispanic 26% 42%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 2% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 6%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 6% 5%

Students

National University California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 55% 98%
% Out-of-State 43% 1%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • National University is larger than than California State University-San Marcos based on total student enrollment (18,631 students vs. 15,109 students)

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

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

  • National University is 132% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($13,320.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.3% higher at California State University-San Marcos than National University ($17,622.00 vs. $13,320.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than National University ($10,463 vs. $30,527)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Marcos are 27.3% lower than costs at National University ($13,972 vs. $17,784)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at National University than California State University San Marcos (91% vs. 67%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 50.4% larger than aid received National University ($8,922 vs. $5,932)

Which college is harder to get into, National 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 National University .

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

Which is better, National 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 National University.

  • Graduates from National University earn on average $8,800 more per year than California State University-San Marcos graduates after ten years. ($57,900 vs. $49,100)
  • California State University San Marcos students graduate with a $10,647 lower median federal student loan debt than National University graduates. ($17,995 vs. $28,642)
  • California State University-San Marcos graduates are paying $110 less per month on federal student loans than National University graduates. ($186 vs. $296)
  • More California State University-San Marcos graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former National University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 50%)

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