Basic Information

Type Public
Geographical Reach Regional
Location San Marcos, CA
Population 2,500,000
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 125 (91% 😎)
Sunshine Hours 3,338 (97% ☀️)
Days Without Precipitation 324 (97% 🏖️)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 13,118
Men / Women 42% / 58%
From State 98%
From Region 0%
Athletes 3.2%

Racial/Ethnic

Hispanic 52%
White 24%
Asian 9%
Mixed 6%
Black 4%
Native American 1%
International 1%

Schools & Majors

Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
California State University, San Marcos 3,373 38% / 62% 1% $60,157 73 94%
Computer Engineering 1 100% / 0% 0%
Electrical Engineering 27 81% / 19% 0% $95,524 98
Computer Science 166 79% / 21% 2% $98,063 98 98%
Computer Software Engineering 19 95% / 5% 0% $84,816 94
Computer and Information Sciences 2 0% / 100% 0%
Chemistry 9 67% / 33% 0% $63,680 78 100%
Mathematics 25 44% / 56% 0% $61,839 76
Physics 6 83% / 17% 0% $71,574 86 100%
Biochemistry 37 38% / 62% 0% $57,068 68 100%
Biology 152 32% / 68% 0% $68,404 83 96%
Biotechnology 30 47% / 53% 0% $67,078 82 92%
Environmental Studies 36 47% / 53% 0% $48,722 49 100%
Nursing 290 20% / 80% 0% $94,085 97 95%
Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist 59 2% / 98% 2% $61,940 76 100%
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness 238 42% / 58% 0% $56,811 68 92%
Business Management and Administration 601 +1 59% / 41% 1% $65,815 81 97%
Economics 29 +2 72% / 28% 3% $68,617 83 91%
Anthropology 8 50% / 50% 0% $43,445 33 92%
English 63 24% / 76% 0% $45,811 40 88%
Ethnic Studies 3 33% / 67% 0% $46,513 42
Geography 6 +1 83% / 17% 0% $55,485 65
History 62 61% / 39% 0% $38,321 19 84%
Human Development and Family Studies 86 15% / 85% 0% $44,261 36 89%
Intercultural and International Studies 12 +1 58% / 42% 8% $55,408 65
Interdisciplinary Studies 1 0% / 100% 0% $47,478 45
Linguistics 8 +1 0% / 100% 0% $43,647 34
Mass Communication/Media Studies 14 50% / 50% 0% $49,276 50 88%
Native American Studies 2 50% / 50% 0%
Political Science 51 +2 57% / 43% 0% $47,436 45 89%
Psychology 304 +3 21% / 79% 0% $48,521 48 93%
Social Sciences 78 32% / 68% 0% $56,752 67 85%
Sociology 204 +6 18% / 82% 0% $45,783 40 89%
Spanish 31 +5 35% / 65% 0% $41,850 28 100%
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 122 +1 43% / 57% 1% $49,276 50 88%
Women's Studies 5 0% / 100% 0% $46,988 44
Early Childhood Education 102 +3 5% / 95% 1% $44,837 37 100%
General Education 161 9% / 91% 0% $49,170 50 89%
Music 7 71% / 29% 14% $38,298 19
Theater 11 36% / 64% 0% $37,364 17
Visual and Performing Arts 85 42% / 58% 0% $36,644 15 93%
Criminology 202 +7 33% / 67% 0% $48,548 48 97%
Fire Protection 18 83% / 17% 0% $61,253 75

Financial

In-State Tuition & Fees $8,284
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees $21,627
Est. In-State Cost $10,716
Est. Out-of-State Cost $27,977
ROI Percentile 73th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 79%
4-Year Graduation Rate 28%
6-Year Graduation Rate 55%
Transfer-Out Rate 4%

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

% Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Humanities & Social Sciences 31.4% 1,060 29% / 71% 0% $47,372 45 90%
Business & Economics 18.7% 630 60% / 40% 1% $65,944 81 96%
Health Sciences 17.4% 587 27% / 73% 0% $75,741 89 94%
Education 7.8% 263 8% / 92% 0% $47,490 45 94%
Professional 6.5% 220 37% / 63% 0% $49,588 51 97%
Life & Natural Sciences 6.5% 219 35% / 65% 0% $66,307 81 96%
Computer Science 5.5% 187 80% / 20% 2% $96,702 98 98%
Arts 3.1% 103 44% / 56% 1% $36,833 16 93%
Physical Sciences & Math 1.2% 40 55% / 45% 0% $63,713 78 100%
Agriculture & Food Science 1.1% 36 47% / 53% 0% $48,722 49 100%
Engineering 0.8% 28 82% / 18% 0% $95,524 98

Research R3

Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Life & Natural Sciences $2.4M #246 68% $0
Engineering $1.5M #263 96% $0
Education $1.4M #203 100% $0
Humanities & Social Sciences $1.1M #307 49% $0
Physical Sciences & Math $0.9M #369 72% $0
Computer Science $0.7M #246 95% $0
Health Sciences $0.1M #363 15% $0
Agriculture & Food Science $0.0M #288 100% $0
Business & Economics $0 #456 $0
Total $8.2M #325 78% $0

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App No
Acceptance Rate 95%
Yield (Unbound) 14%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 95% 94% 94%

Standardized Tests

Test Policy blind
Submitted Test Scores 3%
SAT Range 860 – 1110
SAT Math Range 430 – 530
SAT RW Range 450 – 570