California State University-San Marcos
About
California State University San Marcos is a public university in San Marcos, California, United States. It was founded in 1989 as the 21st campus in the California State University (CSU) system.
Admissions funnel
How selective is this institution, and how many admitted students choose to enroll?
Outcomes & equity
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 2.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
What families actually pay
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Academic programs
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Faculty
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
CSUM vs IPEDS peer group
The peer institutions CSUM selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectCalifornia State University-San Marcos | 55% | 95.1% | 16,237 | $10,550 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | 68% | 75.2% | 27,636 | $11,580 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
California State University-Chico | 63% | 92.7% | 15,257 | $14,838 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
California State University-Dominguez Hills | 43% | 93.3% | 15,182 | $3,659 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
California State University-East Bay | 48% | 97.4% | 12,326 | $11,276 | R2 Research |
California State University-Fresno | 57% | 95.3% | 24,427 | $6,480 | R2 Research |
California State University-San Bernardino | 55% | 93.7% | 18,492 | $5,918 | R2 Research |
Coastal Carolina University | 48% | 75.3% | 11,348 | $13,742 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
CUNY Brooklyn College | 54% | 58.4% | 14,390 | $2,943 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
Florida Gulf Coast University | 57% | 63.4% | 16,612 | $10,319 | Doctoral/Professional |
Tarleton State University | 48% | 89.6% | 17,433 | $20,261 | R2 Research |
Western Washington University | 65% | 93.2% | 14,710 | $18,680 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs |
| Peer group median | 55% | 93.0% | 15,747 | $10,913 |
Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Institutional Planning & Analysis (IP&A) supports data-informed planning, decision making, and action; serves as a trusted source of high-quality, official information reported to internal and external stakeholders; and works to make campus data accessible, intelligible, and transparent.
Visit IR office pageCommon Data Set (5)
The institution's official annual Common Data Set publications — the most detailed reference for enrollment, admissions, and outcomes.
Documents & reports (2)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- Strategic planPower of CSUSMThe Power of CSUSM is a strategic plan focused on dismantling barriers to student success and fostering a supportive, inclusive campus culture. The plan emphasizes adapting to regional needs, building partnerships, and launching philanthropic efforts to drive transformation. Under the leadership of President Ellen Neufeldt, CSUSM aims to be a leader in social mobility and innovation, preparing students for global leadership and societal change.csusm.edu
IR job openings (1)
Institutional Research and analytics roles currently posted at this institution.
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