Covering Innovation & Inequality in Education
This year at California State University-San Marcos, we project that on average students will pay $11,240, while the advertised price of attendance is $27,306. That’s a difference of $16,065.
| Year | Net in-state price at California State University-San Marcos | In-state sticker price at California State University-San Marcos | Out-of-state sticker price at California State University-San Marcos |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25-26 | $11,240 | $27,306 | $39,316 |
| 24-25 | $11,099 | $26,962 | $38,907 |
| 23-24 | $10,959 | $26,623 | $38,503 |
| 22-23 | $10,500 | $25,507 | $37,387 |
| 21-22 | $10,463 | $24,653 | $36,533 |
| 20-21 | $14,296 | $25,086 | $36,966 |
| 19-20 | $12,933 | $25,925 | $37,805 |
| 18-19 | $13,010 | $25,325 | $37,205 |
| 17-18 | $12,614 | $25,316 | $37,196 |
| 16-17 | $10,454 | $24,641 | $35,801 |
| 15-16 | $8,985 | $24,527 | $35,687 |
| 14-15 | $10,543 | $24,000 | $35,160 |
| 13-14 | $7,725 | $23,162 | $34,322 |
How much a student actually pays usually depends, at least in part, on their family's household income. At California State University-San Marcos this year, we project students with incomes over $110K will pay around $21,166, while students with incomes below $30K will pay around $7,292. That's a difference of $13,874.
| Income bracket | Projected net price at California State University-San Marcos |
|---|---|
| <$30K | $7,292 |
| $30K-$48K | $7,757 |
| $48K-$75K | $10,684 |
| $75K-$110K | $14,744 |
| >$110K | $21,166 |
A school’s graduation rate can indicate how likely a student is to complete their degree. At California State University-San Marcos, over the last five years 56% of students earned their bachelor’s degree within six years of enrolling.
Students from different demographic backgrounds often graduate at different rates, so it can be helpful to look beyond the overall graduation rate. This chart shows how students of different races and ethnicities fare earning their degrees at California State University-San Marcos.
| Demographic category | Graduation rate at California State University-San Marcos | National average |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 26% | 31% |
| Asian | 60% | 45% |
| Black | 46% | 34% |
| Hispanic | 55% | 41% |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 50% | 28% |
| White | 60% | 50% |
| Multiple races | 52% | 37% |
| Unknown race | 55% | 37% |
Student retention, or how often students return to continue their degree after completing their first year, is another helpful indicator. Over the last five years, at California State University-San Marcos, about 78% of full-time students returned the following fall to continue their degree.
The size and demographic makeup of a school’s student body can have a large impact on a student’s experience. California State University-San Marcos has 16,760 students, which puts it in the {SIZE_PERCENTILE} percentile of public, 4-year schools.
About 60% of students are female.
And about 50% of students are hispanic.