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California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA · Public · Visit Website

Cal State San Marcos is situated in northern San Diego County, offering a suburban campus environment. The university is known for its focus on student success and community engagement. As a younger CSU campus, it provides a more modern learning environment and a developing athletic program within NCAA Division II.

Programs Analyzed

Avg Grad Earnings

$43,051/yr

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

55/100

Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$7,739/yr

Out-of-state: $19,619/yr

Financial Aid & Net Price

What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by family income. 44% of students receive Pell Grants and 30% take federal loans.

Family Income	Avg Net Price/yr	4-Year Net Cost	Net-Price ROI
$0 – $30K	$6,812	$27,248	15.8x
$30K – $48K	$7,246	$28,984	14.9x
$48K – $75K	$9,980	$39,920	10.8x
$75K – $110K	$13,773	$55,092	7.8x
$110K+	$19,772	$79,088	5.4x
Sticker price (no aid)	$7,739	$30,956	13.9x

Net price = tuition + fees + room & board minus grants and scholarships. ROI = average 10-year graduate earnings ÷ 4-year net cost. Source: IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey via College Scorecard.

All Programs at California State University-San Marcos

35 degree programs ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any program for full AI scenario analysis and 10-year earnings projections.

Program	DW Score	Earnings	AI Risk	ROI
Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration Compare across schools	91	$103,799/yr	High	33.2x
Computer Science Compare across schools	85	$60,645/yr	Very High	34.6x
Accounting and Related Services Compare across schools	84	$63,366/yr	Very High	25.3x
Finance and Financial Management Services Compare across schools	83	$54,408/yr	Very High	27.2x
Business Administration Compare across schools	76	$49,543/yr	High	22.9x
Business/Commerce, General Compare across schools	74	$46,958/yr	High	21.1x
Physics Compare across schools	70	$56,018/yr	Very High	25.0x
Economics Compare across schools	68	$40,155/yr	Very High	23.9x
Marketing Compare across schools	67	$43,134/yr	Very High	23.5x
International Business Compare across schools	65	$55,455/yr	Very High	16.9x
Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences Compare across schools	62	$49,734/yr	High	22.4x
Social Sciences, General Compare across schools	62	$37,446/yr	High	19.6x
Computer Systems Analysis Compare across schools	61	$61,054/yr	Very High	18.7x
Biotechnology Compare across schools	60	$49,615/yr	High	23.4x
Chemistry Compare across schools	59	$49,382/yr	High	15.0x
Biology, General Compare across schools	59	$38,527/yr	High	23.8x
Management Information Systems and Services Compare across schools	57	$55,102/yr	Very High	16.8x
Biochemistry & Biophysics and Molecular Biology Compare across schools	54	$57,682/yr	High	17.6x
Political Science and Government Compare across schools	52	$35,297/yr	Very High	16.2x
Criminology Compare across schools	51	$34,694/yr	High	16.6x
Communication and Media Studies Compare across schools	48	$36,310/yr	High	16.9x
Human Development & Family Studies Compare across schools	48	$31,184/yr	High	15.1x
Health and Physical Education/Fitness Compare across schools	48	$26,203/yr	Moderate	19.6x
Sociology Compare across schools	47	$34,541/yr	High	15.6x
Psychology, General Compare across schools	46	$31,355/yr	High	16.6x
Ecology & Evolution Compare across schools	44	$40,875/yr	High	12.2x
Teacher Education Compare across schools	40	$29,055/yr	High	8.4x
Natural Resources Conservation and Research Compare across schools	39	$37,364/yr	High	11.1x
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences Compare across schools	39	$36,889/yr	High	10.9x
English Language and Literature, General Compare across schools	39	$29,638/yr	Very High	15.6x
Romance Languages & Literatures Compare across schools	37	$29,329/yr	Very High	14.2x
Liberal Arts and Sciences Compare across schools	36	$29,341/yr	Low	16.9x
History Compare across schools	36	$22,407/yr	High	12.9x
Visual and Performing Arts, General Compare across schools	31	$27,741/yr	High	12.3x
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services Compare across schools	23	$22,567/yr	High	6.3x

Compare any program at California State University-San Marcos with another school. Use the comparison tool →

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →