Simpson University vs. California State University-San Marcos

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

Simpson University California State University-San Marcos
Location Redding, CA San Marcos, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 907 15,431
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #833
Religious Affiliation Christ and Missionary Alliance Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpsonu.edu csusm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson University California State University-San Marcos
Tuition (In State) $37,022 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $37,022 $17,622
Room & Board $11,900 $14,152
Avg Net Price $28,453 $10,500
Avg Grant Aid $23,842 $10,247
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 72%

Admission

Simpson University California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 823 17,519
Admitted 815 16,765
Acceptance Rate 99% 95.7%
Enrolled % 18.5% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.32
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 17/22
SAT Range 960/1185 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 Aug 1, 2025 Nov 30, 2024

Academics

Simpson University California State University-San Marcos
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Psychology (20%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (18%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)

Outcomes

Simpson University California State University-San Marcos
Graduation Rate 43% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,200 $49,100
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,668 $17,995
Median Loan Payment $172 $186

Diversity

Simpson University California State University-San Marcos
% Men 7% 2%
% Women 9% 6%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 60% 30%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 12% 42%
% Native American 4% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 12% 5%

Students

Simpson University California State University-San Marcos
% In-State 74% 97%
% Out-of-State 23% 2%

Campus

Simpson 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 Simpson University based on total student enrollment (15,431 students vs. 907 students)

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

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

  • Simpson University is 544.8% more expensive to attend than California State University-San Marcos for in-state tuition ($37,022.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 110.1% higher at Simpson University than California State University San Marcos ($37,022.00 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 Simpson University ($10,500 vs. $28,453)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Simpson University are 18.9% lower than costs at California State University San Marcos ($11,900 vs. $14,152)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson University than California State University San Marcos (100% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson University students is 132.7% larger than aid received California State University San Marcos ($23,842 vs. $10,247)

Simpson University vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson University (1001) is 46 points higher than at California State University-San Marcos (955)
  • Incoming Simpson University students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at California State University-San Marcos (21)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson University students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at California State University-San Marcos (3.32)
  • Simpson University has a higher acceptance rate (99%) than California State University-San Marcos (95.7%)

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

Which is better, Simpson 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 Simpson University.

  • The graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos is higher than Simpson University (49% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn on average $10,900 more per year than Simpson University graduates after ten years. ($49,100 vs. $38,200)
  • Simpson University students graduate with a $1,327 lower median federal student loan debt than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($16,668 vs. $17,995)
  • Simpson University graduates are paying $14 less per month on federal student loans than California State University-San Marcos graduates. ($172 vs. $186)
  • More Simpson University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Marcos students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 66%)

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