UNK vs. California State University-San Marcos

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Nebraska at Kearney in Kearney, NE with California State University San Marcos in San Marcos, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University San Marcos is larger than UNK based on total student enrollment (16,237 students vs. 5,881 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Nebraska at Kearney is located in Kearney, NE (Remote Town setting); California State University San Marcos is in San Marcos, CA (Rural Fringe setting).
• University of Nebraska at Kearney is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University San Marcos is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Nebraska at Kearney 14:1; California State University San Marcos 24:1.

UNK vs. California State University-San Marcos Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNK or California State University-San Marcos? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University San Marcos than UNK ($10,241 vs. $16,287).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Nebraska at Kearney are 13.8% lower than at California State University San Marcos ($12,198 vs. $14,152).
• University of Nebraska at Kearney is 7.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Marcos (about $594 more per year; $8,676.00 vs. $8,082.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 35.3% higher at California State University-San Marcos than at University of Nebraska at Kearney (about $5,398 more per year; $20,682.00 vs. $15,284.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Nebraska at Kearney than at California State University San Marcos (89% vs. 71%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University San Marcos students is 13.8% larger than aid received by University of Nebraska at Kearney students ($11,123 vs. $9,776).

UNK vs. California State University-San Marcos Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UNK or California State University-San Marcos? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between California State University-San Marcos and UNK.

• The typical SAT score (median estimate) at California State University San Marcos (1040) is 20 points higher than at UNK (1020).
• Incoming UNK students have a 3 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (22 vs. 19 at California State University-San Marcos).
• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Nebraska at Kearney 905/1125; California State University San Marcos 950/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Nebraska at Kearney 19/26; California State University San Marcos 17/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UNK - Test optional; California State University-San Marcos - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UNK Aug 15, 2027; California State University-San Marcos Nov 30, 2026.
• Accepted freshman California State University-San Marcos students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.32) than students at UNK (3.24).
• California State University-San Marcos has a higher acceptance rate (95.1%) than UNK (89.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 18.5% at UNK vs. 14% at California State University-San Marcos.

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

How do outcomes compare for UNK and California State University-San Marcos? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• University of Nebraska at Kearney's six-year graduation rate (61%) is higher than California State University San Marcos's (49%).
• Graduates from California State University San Marcos earn a median of about $5,700 more per year than UNK graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,100 vs. $43,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University San Marcos graduates have a $3,255 lower median loan debt than UNK graduates ($17,995 vs. $21,250).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Marcos graduates have an estimated $33 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UNK graduates ($186 vs. $219).
• More UNK graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Marcos students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 66%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.