Acceptance rate
95.1%
California State University-San Marcos
Admission Chances & Acceptance Rate
This public university in San Marcos, CA enrolls about 15,100 students and admits 95% of applicants. In-state tuition runs $25,507 annually. The school's strongest programs are in Social Sciences and Business & Marketing. Note that the 6-year graduation rate is 55%, and first-year retention stands at 79%, which may warrant further investigation into student support and completion.
Enrollment
15,109
Test policy
optional
Grad rate (6-yr)
55%
Will you get into California State University-San Marcos?
Enter your GPA, SAT & ACT and get your personal admission probability — free, no credit card.
Calculate my chances →◴ Admitted Student Profile
The middle 50% of admitted students (25th–75th percentile), self-reported by the school.
SAT (combined)
Not published
ACT (composite)
Not published
GPA
Not published
$ What You'll Actually Pay
Average yearly net price after grants & scholarships, by family income (federal cohort averages — not a personal quote).
$0–30k
$6,230
family income
$30–48k
$7,240
family income
$48–75k
$8,928
family income
$75–110k
$12,525
family income
$110k+
$18,734
family income
43% receive Pell grants
28% take federal loans
✦ Strongest Programs
The fields California State University-San Marcos graduates the most students in — a signal of depth, faculty, and alumni networks.
Social Sciences
17.7%
Business & Marketing
16.2%
Health Professions
11.0%
Psychology
9.3%
Biology
6.4%
↗ Outcomes
School-level averages across all students who enrolled (College Scorecard). Not a personal forecast.
Earnings (10 yr)
$62,908
Earnings (6 yr)
$48,673
Completion
55%
Retention
79%
Median debt
$17,350
? Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at California State University-San Marcos?
California State University-San Marcos has an acceptance rate of 95.1%, making it relatively accessible.
How much does California State University-San Marcos actually cost?
After grants and scholarships, the average net price for the lowest income band is $6,230 per year, rising to $18,734 for families earning $110k+. These are federal cohort averages, not a personal quote.
What are my chances of getting into California State University-San Marcos?
Your odds depend on how your GPA and test scores compare to admitted students, plus factors like major, residency, and early decision. UniversityOdds calculates a personalized probability for free — enter your stats to see yours.
See your real odds at California State University-San Marcos and ~50 top schools
UniversityOdds compares your profile to real admissions data — and tells you honestly when it's guessing.
Get my free odds →Data sourced from IPEDS, the Common Data Set, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Acceptance probabilities calculated by UniversityOdds are estimates based on published academic data and are not a guarantee of admission. Net price figures are federal cohort averages, not personalized quotes — run the school's official net price calculator for your own estimate.